Healing Connection
by Aris1013
Summary: Stiles was struggling after the Nogitsune, but when Scott takes his pain away, everything changes.
1. Struggle

After the Nogitsune, Stiles acted as if he were okay. The first two weeks of recovery were tough, he was weak and depressed, but as soon as he showed signs of health again, he acted as if nothing was wrong. Everyone was waiting for him to fall apart, to breakdown, but it never came. If Scott were honest with about the situation he would admit to distancing himself from his best friend. He knew none of what happened was his fault, but he could not bear to look at him sometimes without remembering Allison dying in his arms. If Scott had been paying attention he would have noticed that Stiles was only pretending that he was okay. On the inside he was struggling.

When Scott did pay attention to Stiles, he noticed him falter in just the slightest of ways. He would smell the fear and anxiety, but then Stiles would seem okay. He would notice when the nightmares kept him awake, or when his medication was not strong enough. What he did not notice was how much pain Stiles was still in. On one day in particular, Stiles did not show up at school. This was odd since he had missed so much during his possession, Scott knew Stiles could not afford to miss much more.

Scott decided it was time to put aside his own worries. He had been a lousy friend, and it was time to step up and help in any way he could. As soon as school ended he headed to Stiles' house. If Stiles was not feeling well he did not want to make him come all the way downstairs to open the door, so he just walked in. Stiles had a key to his house after all, so it was not like he had never done that. Scott went upstairs to Stiles' room and knocked on the door.

"Stiles, it's Scott."

He heard Stiles at his desk shuffling around. His heartbeat sped up. Scott decided to go on in.

"Hey."

Stiles looked like he had not slept. "Oh, hey Scott."

Something was off. "You weren't at school today, wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Yeah, just not feeling good." Stiles faked a smile.

Scott nodded, but then something caught his attention and he sniffed the air.

Stiles noticed. "What?"

"Blood." Scott looked at his friend. "Are you bleeding?"

Stiles looked like he was caught off guard. "N-no."

Scott could hear the lie. He reached for his arm, but Stiles backed away.

"Just drop it Scott, I'm fine."

"You're not thought, are you?"

Stiles turned, but Scott grabbed his shoulder and flinched at the touch.

"You're still in pain."

"I'm fine."

"I can help." Scott reached again, but Stiles swatted his hand away.

"Scott, no. I don't need your help." He tried making as much space as possible between them.

"Stiles." Scott grabbed Stiles' upper arm and the boy winced. "Let me see."

Tears peeked in Stiles' eyes. "Scott, please."

Scott ignored him and lifted up his sleeve. That was where the blood had come from. Angry marks covered Stiles' upper arm. Some cuts, some little dots as if he stabbed his skin with something. Scott could only stare in horror.

"Stiles, why didn't you say anything?"

He could not look Scott in the face. "I just…sometimes I feel like I'm slipping. I just needed something I was in control of."

"Stiles, you can't do that to yourself. The Nogitsune is gone, it can't hurt you anymore."

"The memories aren't, or the nightmares. The pain." Stiles looked up.

"Then let me help you." Scott looked desperate. He did not know what else to do.

Stiles shook his head. "I don't deserve it."

Scott never realized how bad it was for Stiles. "It wasn't your fault."

"I let it take me. I stopped resisting. Scott, I liked feeling strong."

"That doesn't matter, it wasn't you. A demon possessed you."

Stiles huffed. "A demon that got Allison killed."

Scott shook his head. "Don't do that. Don't try to make me blame you for that. I never blamed you for what happened. You weren't being weak, it may have worn your face, but that thing was not you. Stiles if you died, I don't know what I'd do. I need you. Let me help. You're pack, you're family. You're in so much pain you couldn't even leave the house today. So please…" He held out his hand.

Stiles blinked away tears, and thought for a moment before holding out his hand. Scott grabbed his hand and took Stiles' pain away. Scott could tell he was only helping a fraction, but it was making a small difference. Stiles began to feel clearer headed than he had since the whole thing started. The pain had subsided, and he took a deep breath before sitting down.

"Thanks."

Scott sat down next to him. "Don't mention it. Just tell me when you feel like that man. I don't wanna see you like this."

Stiles nodded. "I'm sorry."

Scott stayed over until he was sure Stiles was alright.

"Scott you don't have to worry about me. You can go home."

"I know, you just scared me a lot okay." Scott sighed.

"Yeah, I know, sorry. You weren't supposed to find out." Stiles stared at the ground.

"And that scared me more. Stiles we used to talk, it's always easier when people know what's going on."

"You're right. Just with everything going on, I didn't want to bring my problems to you. You have enough to deal with, I thought I could handle this on my own." Stiles rubbed his upper arm.

Scott nodded at Stiles arm. "That is no way to deal with this."

Stiles said nothing, but he nodded his head in agreement. Scott stayed a little longer, but soon left feeling like Stiles would be okay.

The next day Scott was at his locker when Stiles ran up to him. "Scott! You aren't going to believe this!"

Scott shut his locker. "You're looking better."

Stiles flailed a little. "That's just it. I feel amazing, better than I have in weeks." He pulled him along until they were out of ear distance of the other students. "The pain is completely gone, the nightmares practically none existent, Scott…" He looked over his shoulder and then back at Scott. He lifted up his sleeve revealing smooth skin. The cuts were gone.

Scott stared in shock at the unscarred flesh. "But, how?"

Stiles rolled his sleeve down. "Scott you healed me."

"But, I can't heal. I can only take the pain away, temporarily." Scott was dumbfounded.

"I know, I know, but somehow you did. Scott you healed me."

Scott was happy, but confused. "We should probably go to Deaton's after school."

Stiles agreed.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	2. Myths

**Thank you orionastro, DrewSb, and Ohsochich for reviewing!**

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Stiles enjoyed lacrosse practice for the first time in a while. Before Scott healed him, every practice was spent in agony, and often ended with him puking his guts out on the side of the field. Today, however, he felt like his old self. Part of him wanted answers as to how this all happened, but the other part wanted to live in blissful denial and move on. As soon as practice got done, Scott told Stiles they had to go talk to Deaton. Scott was right, of course he was right, but Stiles knew this could not be all it seemed.

They drove to the clinic and went inside to talk to the veterinarian. Neither was sure where to begin. Stiles was not sure he wanted Deaton to know about the self-harm aspect. He never wanted Scott to find out, but there they were.

"It's been tough, since everything. Obviously. I guess I haven't been dealing well." Stiles looked at the ground. "I've been trying to deal with everything with maybe not the best means."

Deaton could tell from the expression on both boys' faces where Stiles was going with the conversation. He understood what Stiles had been doing to himself.

"You've always been hard on yourself Stiles."

Stiles have a half smile and nodded. "But to the point, Scott took my pain away yesterday and now…"

"I healed him. Somehow."

Deaton looked dumbfounded. "You what?"

Scott shrugged. "I know, it's not possible, but I did. Pain is gone, nightmares, the cuts."

"Are you sure?"

Stiles nodded. "It was him. Couldn't have been anything else."

Deaton thought for a moment. "I think I may know what this is, but I thought it was a myth until now."

The boys looked at each other, and Stiles could not take the anticipation. "What is it?"

"There is a legend of a wolf and a human having a close enough bond, that they become connected. I believe when Scott saved you from the Nogitsune, he may have opened that connection."

Stiles was trying to follow. "What, so when Scott bit him, since that was still a part of me, he didn't turn me, but gave me some of his power?"

"Precisely." Deaton nodded. "Since Scott was able to heal you, I believe that his power is a part of you now, but only when directed by him. You wouldn't be able to adapt the power on your own. If what the legend says is true, then the closer to the full moon it gets, the stronger the bond will be. If one of you gets lost, the other should be able to sense it. Stiles, if you were bitten by another wolf, you theoretically should be immune." Deaton had a look.

Stiles noticed and sagged. "There's a drawback to this isn't there?"

"Most likely." Deaton hesitated. "I believe that if the bond is strongest during the full moon, then the bond should be weakest during apogee. When the moon is farthest away."

"Two weeks later." Scott confirmed.

Deaton nodded. "It is possible that on this day Stiles, you may experience everything you did before Scott healed you. It may even increase."

"So I'll start hallucinating and feeling pain again?"

Deaton again nodded. "But in the days following, Scott can heal you again."

Stiles understood. "So one day of Hell, for almost a month of normalcy?" He looked at Scott. "I think we can handle that."

Scott agreed. "Can't be that bad right?"

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As the day before the full moon approached, both boys could feel a change. Stiles was feeling great, while Scott felt as if he could sense the boy completely. Stiles too had a weird sense of where Scott was at all times. The full moon was going to be spent helping Malia gain control of her powers. She could not yet put aside the want to kill during a full moon, so Scott and Stiles had been helping her.

"Malia, you have to concentrate on your human side." Stiles stepped a little closer to Malia.

She screamed. "I can't! I want to hurt you."

"No, you don't." Stiles looked her in the eye.

Malia froze for a second trying to regain control, but she snapped and managed to catch Stiles' hand under her claws. Stiles pulled his hand back and hissed at the pain. Scott stepped back with Stiles and grabbed his hand. The wound was bleeding, but not very deep. He pulled out the pain, and before their eyes, the scratch began to heal.

"Whoa, Deaton wasn't kidding." Scott stared with astonishment.

Stiles flexed his fingers. "I guess that means he'll be right about two weeks from now."

Scott nodded. They both knew that day would be tough, but they had no idea what to expect.

The next day, Stiles could already feel the connection between him and Scott fading. It was the slightest of changes, but he could tell. He still felt better than he had in a long time, but something inside him felt like it was slipping back into how he was just a few days before. The closer they got to apogee, the more Stiles was on edge.

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"Crane, how can you even be sure there is anything in Beacon Hills?"

"Because it's just that Mina; a beacon."

Mina rolled her eyes, but continued to follow Crane.

"You don't think that maybe it's just a name?" Renny followed close behind the two.

"I've told you two before, there is something about that place. Something has awoken, and it's powerful."

"And when we get there, what do you intend to do?" Mina was not so sure about this pilgrimage to Beacon Hills.

Crane smiled. "Take what he had for ourselves."

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Back at Beacon Hills someone had been keeping a close eye on Stiles. He enjoyed watching him suffer, although that was not good enough. Lately, however, the boy seemed happy again. He seemed okay. The man did not like that. Stiles had hurt him in more ways than one, and now he needed revenge. Stiles had to pay for what he did.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	3. Apogee

**Thank you DrewSb, Farkaskutya, orionastro, Shadow-wolf78, and Ohsochich for reviewing!**

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The farther away from the full moon it got, the more anxious Stiles was. Feeling so good, and then being brought down was taking a toll. He was sleeping less, getting more and more distracted, and felt as if none of his meds were working. In anticipation of what was going to happen, Stiles had doubled up on most of his medication. He was starting to get more worried as to what would happen during apogee.

Stiles was thankful for Malia during the approaching doom. He was sure she was ready to kill him. She had been sleeping in his bed on most nights since his possession, and his constant tossing and turning was driving her crazy. He was sure that she would stop coming to his window at night, but she was still there. She was becoming his light in all this.

"Stiles, it's going to be okay. I'll be with you tomorrow night. Nothing's going to happen." She held onto him tight.

"I just wish I knew what to expect. How bad it's going to be, you know? Maybe then I could prepare a little better. I just want to be ready for anything."

If Stiles could say one thing about the following day, it would be that they were in no way prepared. He thought he felt panicked and on edge the days previous, but today he could barely function. He was zoning in and out, and kept hearing whispers. He even thought he saw a few things that were not there a couple of times. The entire day felt like before. He was confused, and filled with too much emotion. Scott and the others had been watching Stiles carefully. Scott noticed how familiar it all seemed. He felt like he was losing his best friend again.

After school Scott met up with Stiles by the jeep. Stiles was standing next to Malia drumming his hand against his leg. Scott did not need heightened senses to see the anxiety coursing through the boy.

"Dude, I really think I should be there tonight." Scott gave him a look.

Stiles shook his head. "No, you've cancelled dinner with your dad like every time. If he knew it was to be at my house he'd probably kill me. Besides, if tonight goes like today has, then Malia should be able to handle me. I'll call if anything gets worse though." Part of him wanted Scott to stay, but also did not want to make him babysit his crazy.

Scott hated leaving Stiles, but he had promised his father that no matter what, he would not miss dinner. "You need anything, you call."

Stiles nodded.

Scott watched Stiles and Malia climb into the jeep. He sighed before heading to his bike. He had a bad feeling about the future.

Stiles was quiet the whole way home. Malia was beginning to be on edge. She had only caught a glimpse of Stiles' possession, and it terrified her. She had no idea what to expect tonight, but the longer the silence lingered, the more anxious she felt. Malia knew she had to keep it together for Stiles. If he sensed her uneasiness then that would just make him worse off. When they pulled into his driveway, Stiles was thankful his father had already left for work. He was working late that night. He asked Scott not to tell the Sheriff in hopes the night would go over okay. He did not want to cause any more stress in his father's life than he already had.

Malia figured the key to getting through the night was distraction. They tried working on homework, but Stiles could not focus. Every little thing distracted him. Stiles was getting panicked for no reason, so Malia tried another form of distraction. She pushed their books off his bed and began to kiss him. That helped for about five minutes until Stiles heard something and flinched back.

"Shh, it's okay. Nothing is going to happen." Malia rubbed his arm.

Stiles let out a shaky breath. "I just don't feel right."

She noticed he kept looking at his closet withfear in his eyes.

He thought he had been doing okay up to that point, but somewhere along the line Stiles zoned out. He was brought back by Malia shaking him.

"W-what?" Stiles had not realized Malia was talking.

"I asked if you were okay." Malia had worried eyes.

Stiles was shaking. "I don't know. I feel off."

She rubbed his shoulders. "You're okay, it's gonna be fine."

From that moment on, the night went to Hell.

Stiles shook his head. "No, no, no it's not. They're coming. I can feel it."

"Stiles who?" She grabbed his hand as he stood up, but he pulled out of her grasp and began to pace.

His breaths came in shorter and shorter spurts. He stopped and stared at the closet, his eyes wide with fear.

Malia stood up slow and stared at his closet. "What?"

Stiles could no longer hear her voice. Shadows were creeping in, ebbing closer to him. He walked back until he heard a voice. He turned around to see another him staring back; covered in blood. He rushed back more, almost tripping.

"N-no you're not here, you're gone." It did not matter that Stiles knew this was all in his head if even for a second it could be real.

"Am I? Are you sure? Maybe I just hid away, waiting for you to become weak again."

Stiles' breath hitched in his throat.

Malia was beyond confused. Stiles was talking to the wall. "Stiles, there's nothing there."

Stiles ignored her and listened to the voice.

"You have to leave Stiles. Come to me. If you don't, they'll come for her again." Void Stiles smirked.

Stiles looked towards Malia. "No!"

"She'll die Stiles, unless you leave." He looked at Stiles' desk drawer. "You know what you need to do."

Stiles understood. He had to protect Malia. There was only one option that made sense to him right now. Get out. Get out and make sure Malia could not follow. He rushed over to his desk and pulled something out of the drawer.

"What are you doing?" Malia was not sure what to do at this point. The night was going a lot worse than she thought it would.

Stiles looked at her with crazy eyes. "Saving you from me."

He threw that contents in his hand towards Malia, and she could sense it was mountain ash. He made a circle around her so she could not get out of his room. Stiles grabbed his keys and ran out of the house before Malia could grab him. She snatched her phone up and called Scott.

Scott had been distracted throughout all of dinner. He kept checking his phone at a constant rate. His father noticed, but did not say anything. He had just gotten done having a conversation with his dad, and was heading upstairs when the phone rang. He answered after the first ring.

"Malia, what's up?" He knew something was wrong.

"Stiles left. He trapped me with mountain ash in his room. I have no idea where he's going, but he was talking to nothing before he freaked out and ran off."

"Okay, I'll call Lydia to come let you out. After that look for him. I'm leaving now. I'll call if I find him." Scott was already out of the door.

"Okay." Malia hated this. The whole night was far worse than she imagined.

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Stiles was on the move. His stalker noticed a change that day. Something was going to happen, but he was not sure what. He would follow Stiles tonight to see what was going on with the boy, but a new plan was in action. Soon everything would fall into place, and he would get what he wanted.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	4. Terror

**Thank you Shadow-wolf78, orionastro, rachbob, DrewSb, and Ohsochich for reviewing!**

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Stiles was back in the basement. At least that is what it looked like. He knew nothing he saw was real, but even if there was a tiny chance it could be, he had to believe it. He was cold, barefoot, and scared. Just like before. He could sense the Nogitsune, the darkness that surrounded it. It was calling to him. All he could do was scream to try and will it all away. He began to see people in the basement with him. The people he was responsible for killing.

"Do you really think they would forgive you that easily?"

Stiles jumped at the voice. "Allison?"

She was standing in front of him, clear as day. She was pale and her lips were a light tint of blue. Stiles' eyes went straight to her abdomen where a dark pool of blood had formed. This could not be real.

Stiles shook his head. "Allison, I'm so sorry. If I could trade you I would. I hate myself for what happened. Please I'm so sorry."

She glared. Stiles did not want to look at her anymore, but he could not tear his eyes away.

"What about me?"

Stiles turned to see Aiden standing before him with black blood running down his mouth.

"You took me away from my brother."

"It wasn't me." Tears streamed down his face.

"Wasn't it? You let it in Stiles. You let it kill us."

"All of us." The room was now filled with faces. A lot he did not even recognize. Every person affected by the Nogitsune was now present in the room.

All of them were chanting, whispering that he let it in. Over and over again.

Stiles felt dizzy at all the faces. He could not handle it anymore, so he fell to his knees. The people encircled him. Overwhelming him. The whispers grew louder. Each voice filled his head as if it were screaming. He hummed in pain, trying to drown out the noise. His hands covered his ears, but the voices were in his mind. Stiles thought he was going to lose it, until all of a sudden the whispers stopped and silence hung in the air. Stiles looked up to stare himself in the face.

"What do you want?" Stiles felt weak and lost.

Void Stiles smirked. "I need you to come to me."

Stiles squinted in confusion, but then the other him grabbed his wrist and dragged his nails across his arm. He felt numb.

"Let me in again, Stiles."

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Scott had no idea where Stiles was. He could not find a scent. This was not exactly like sleepwalking, but Scott thought back to the night Stiles called him. The night everything started for him. Scott figured that was as good of a place to begin than any, so he headed towards the woods. Once he got near there, he picked up a scent. Stiles had to be somewhere close to the reserve.

Scott sped his bike up, but noticed something reflecting off the moonlight. On the side of the road was Stiles' jeep. He stopped and inspected. The driver door was still open, but the vehicle was turned off. There were no keys. Scott sniffed the air around him. He picked up a trail. The further he walked, the worse the feeling in his stomach felt. He stopped noticing the familiarity of the trees around him. Scott knew exactly where Stiles was headed. He picked up his speed, worried of what he could find.

When he got to the Nemeton, Scott was frozen in place. Stiles was standing in front of it holding his arm over the trunk. His wrist was dripping blood onto the wood. Scott snapped out of his stupor and ran up to Stiles, grabbing his arm.

"Stiles, what the hell are you doing?"

His brown eyes were glazed over. "I have to, or they won't go away."

"Who? Who won't go away?" Scott put his hand over Stiles' wrist to stop the bleeding.

"Allison, Aiden, everyone I killed." Tears welled in his eyes.

Hearing Allison's name made Scott loosen his grip on Stiles. "Come on, that wasn't your fault. Look we need to leave. If we stay here, something terrible could happen." He looked at the blood soaking into the tree.

Stiles watched it too.

Scott pulled on Stiles' arm dragging him away from the tree. "I don't think I can handle this thing doing any more damage tonight, so just come with me okay? It's going to be alright."

He noticed Stiles was holding his keys in his other hand. Scott took them and saw the blood all over them. That was what Stiles must have used to cut his wrist open, he was really starting to hate this new discovery between them. Scott led Stiles back to the jeep, his friend was shaking and easy to move. He could tell there was a lot going on in Stiles' head. Scott got Stiles into the passenger seat and walked over to his bike to hide it in the trees; he would get it back later. Scott drove to Stiles' house where he was meeting Lydia, Kira, and Malia. There they would wait for the night to be over so he could help his friend.

"Just hang in there, buddy."

When they got home, Scott gave sigh of relief when he saw the Sheriff was not home. They had not even begun to explain anything to him, and Scott did not want to start on a night like this. The girls helped Scott get Stiles upstairs to his room. He was still freaking out, mumbling things none of them understood, and sometimes panicking. At first he did not notice any of them, but then he began to freak out.

"I can't be here. I have to go." Stiles tried getting up, but Scott pushed him back down.

"Stiles, you have to stay, okay? Let us help you."

Lydia was trying to dress his wound. No one knew what to do at that moment. They could see the exhaustion on Stiles' face. The events of the night had finally calmed him down. He was fighting sleep. Every time his eyes began to droop, Stiles shook his head violently to wake himself up.

Scott knelt down in front of him. "Stiles, it's going to be alright. Remember none of it was real. It's all in your head."

The words seem to stick, because Stiles had stopped fighting the sleep creeping into his eyes. Malia put his head in her lap as she watched him sleep. They had to wait until dawn, then Scott could begin the healing process. It would not be much, but as soon as the moon was out of the sky, Scott could contribute. Scott sat down next to Kira on the other side of the bed, while Lydia kept her eyes glued to the window. None of them could stand seeing Stiles like this.

A few hours later the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon, and Lydia perked up.

"Scott."

Scott, who had almost fallen asleep, looked up at the red head.

"Sun is coming up."

Scott nodded and placed a sleeping Kira next to him on the bed. He got up and walked around to where Stiles was laying. He had woken up not long after he fell asleep, but seemed to be silently freaking out to himself. Malia was stroking his hair. Scott knelt down slow, he did not want to make any sudden movements. Scott grabbed Stiles' wrist, causing him to flinch. Scott would not let go as he began to take the pain away. He wished he could take all of it, but he knew he would need his strength to further heal him later. Stiles relaxed a little and let his eyes close.

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The man had been keeping a close watch on Stiles. He watched him leave his house, and he followed him. The boy went into the woods where he seemed to be shouting at nothing. The man kept his distance as he watched the boy have a mental breakdown in the middle of the forest. He took a risk. Stiles did not seem to know where he was, let alone anyone getting close. He stepped forward and watched as the boy looked all around. Fear was in his eyes. Stiles' eyes met his stalker's, but there was no recognition behind them. He seemed to be staring at other faces as well. Stiles screamed out, but then he stopped, looked up. He pulled his keys out and dragged them across his arm in horror. Stiles ran off, right past the man. Something was definitely happening to him, but the man had no idea as to what. He needed to keep a close watch if he was going to execute his plan with precise timing. He left the woods, there was much work to be done.

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 **An: Thanks for reading!**


	5. The Next Day

**Thank you orionastro, rachbob, Shadow-wolf78, and DrewSb for reviewing!**

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Stiles woke up in the early afternoon. His head was killing him, but he was in his room, surrounded by all his friends who were fast asleep. He was surprised to find that he remembered most of the events that had happened the night before, but he was mixed up on a few things. He knew he was hallucinating through part of it, so his brain went back and forth from reality and fantasy. He needed to use the bathroom and get some water, so Stiles attempted getting up without disturbing his friends. That was impossible. As soon as Stiles moved, Malia woke up.

"Hey."

He smiled at her. "Hey, just need to use the bathroom."

She nodded. "Need help?"

"I think I can manage." He got up and felt a wave of dizziness that made him start to fall over.

Malia caught him. "You sure about that?"

He sighed and saw that everyone else was waking up. They all began to ask how he was.

"Hey, can't a guy just go to the bathroom without everyone thinking he'll freak out or faint on the way?"

They all just looked at him.

"Right." He looked at Malia who took his arm and helped him to the bathroom.

After Stiles went to the bathroom and washed his face, he opened up the medicine cabinet and loaded up on his medication. The night before was hard, and he was not sure how he was going to get through another night like that.

Once he was back in the room he looked at Scott. "Where was I when you found me?"

Scott shifted. "The Nemeton." He looked at Stiles' bandaged wrist. "You were, uh, giving it blood."

A shiver ran down Stiles' spine as he looked at his wrist. "Well this whole thing could have gone better. I hate to say this, but next time I think we should tie me down."

"Stiles." Scott gave him a sympathetic look.

Stiles sighed and sat down. "Look none of us anticipated how bad it was going to be, but now we know."

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Crane knelt down and wiped some of the blood off of the tree trunk. He sniffed it and smiled at the others.

Mina's eyebrows perked. "So?"

"He was here."

Renny laughed a little. "And now we have his scent."

Mina looked at the tree. "What was he doing?"

Before Crane could answer a piercing shrill began to invade their ears. The three wolves put their hands over their ears.

"What is that?" Renny looked around.

The noise stopped and the three saw a man standing in front of them with a black speaker-like device.

"It's me."

"A hunter?" Crane studied the man. He was human. He looked average, but strong. His face showed signs of misfortune. His hair was greying, and his eyes were worn.

He shook his head. "No, just someone on a mission."

"And what mission is that?"

"We both want something, and I believe we can help each other out."

Crane smirked. "And why would we help you?"

The man's face softened. "Oh, I'm not asking you." He pushed the device and the shrill sound waved again. The man took this chance to inject each werewolf with a sedative. He had a lot of work to do now.

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"How are you feeling? Really." Scott had managed to get everyone to go home after he and Stiles convinced them the other would be okay. Scott sat next to Stiles on the bed.

"Like before, when we defeated him." Stiles took a shaky breath. "I'm just drained, confused…"

"It'll pass soon." Once Scott could start healing Stiles again, everything would be alright.

"Do you think…" Stiles was not sure how to ask this. "Do you think every time will be like that? I mean do you think that will happen forever?"

Scott had not thought about the time line of their predicament. "I don't know. It should get better over time right? Like the longer it gets from happening, the easier it will be? I don't know. I hope so."

Stiles scoffed. "You and me both. I guess, even if it doesn't I get a longer feeling of no pain and being a sort of part werewolf or something."

"Yeah it has its perks, but is it worth it? You could have killed yourself last night."

"I know, but I'm just trying to see the upside." Stiles gave a half smile.

"I know we have nothing to compare this with, but my first full moons were terrible. I couldn't control anything I did, and well, you probably remember better than I do. But over time I learned how to control and deal with them. Now they don't faze me. Maybe this will be the same. Yeah it's terrible now, but eventually it has to get better." Scott was trying to give Stiles some comfort.

Stiles nodded. "Yeah, maybe it'll be okay, but for now this sucks."

They both laughed a little. Part of him worried something else would happen. He knew Stiles was only supposed to feel the effects of everything on the apogee nights, but this was still all new, so he was not taking any chances.

"You hearing or seeing anything today?"

"Besides your beautiful face?" Stiles smiled and Scott rolled his eyes. "A few whispers, maybe a shadow or two, but nothing like last night. Scott I swear I was back in the basement. It was as clear as day. I could feel them, everything. It was just like before when I was stuck in my own head."

"Next time will be different. We won't let something like that happen again." Scott could not let something like that happen again.

Scott went to the doorway and motioned for Stiles to follow. "Come on, you need to eat."

"I'm fine." Stiles shook his head.

Scott sighed. Stiles had done that since he knew the boy. No matter what was going on with him he always said he was fine. At first Scott believed it, then Scott realized he was lying, and then he noticed that it became an auto response. It was to the point that Scott was sure Stiles did not even know he did it, and could not stop it if he tried. Scott just gave his friend a look when he said the phrase which got him up and following him down the stairs. Scott made Stiles some soup and he watched as his shaky hands sipped it slow. Scott noticed Stiles' eyes begin to blink more and more.

"Now, go sleep."

Stiles opened his mouth to say he was fine, but Scott stopped him.

"No, you need rest. Take the couch, we'll watch T.V or something."

Stiles hated being babysat by his best friend, but he was also thankful for Scott. He would never have been able to get through anything without him. As he laid down on the couch, his mind was not at all on the television. Instead he was thinking about all the faces that showed themselves to him in the basement. Particularly Allison's. Her bleeding, dead body, was all he could think about. Every time he looked at Scott the guilt rose in him. He killed his best friend's first love. How could anyone stand to look at him? He was pretty sure Scott was talking to him, but before Stiles could ask Scott to repeat himself his eyes shut and he was out.

Scott smiled and put a blanket on his friend. He sat and watched T.V. until he heard a car pull into the driveway. Scott shut his eyes, he knew this would happen sooner or later. He was going to have to explain to Sheriff Stilinski why his son was bandaged, and practically passed out on the couch. It was time let him know at least a little as to what was going on.

When Stillinski walked through the door and saw the look on Scott's face, he knew something was wrong. He sighed and looked at his son on the couch. He looked back at Scott.

"What happened?"

Scott got up from the chair and led the Sheriff into the kitchen. He had no idea where to even start.

"Look Scott, I am the Sheriff of this town. I'm not completely oblivious to what goes on around here. I know Stiles has been having a rough time, and all of sudden the last couple of weeks he seemed to be back to his old self, but then the last couple of days it was like before. So tell me. He's not…that thing doesn't have a hold on him again does it?"

Scott was quick to shake his head. "No, no it's not like that exactly." He was glad the Sheriff had been paying attention. "I guess somehow when I took some of his pain before, we got this sort of connection. All the side effects from the Nogitsune were gone, but it has a drawback."

"And that is?"

"One night, when the moon is farthest from the Earth, things sort of go back for him all at once."

The Sheriff shut his eyes. "So one night a month he gets blackouts, hallucinations, and pain like before?"

"Yeah." Scott nodded.

"And last night was that night?"

Scott nodded again.

"It was bad wasn't it?" Stillinski was scared to ask.

"We weren't ready for what happened no, but now we know what to expect, and no you don't wanna know." Scott hoped the Sheriff would not ask for details.

"But it's under control?"

"Next time we'll be ready." Scott seemed confident.

Stillinski looked at the couch in the living room. "Good, because I can't see him like that again Scott. I just can't."

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Crane was first to wake up. He rubbed the back of his neck and found he and his companions were being held in a three separate cells that lined a wall. He could see through the bars to each cage and down the hall. There were a few more, unoccupied cages. He stood up and looked around, they were in some sort of industrial basement, probably to an old warehouse. He growled as he walked over to the bars grabbed them with the intention of ripping them apart. As soon as he got close the bars he felt and invisible force stop him.

"Mountain ash." He turned to the two others in their cells. "Get up!"

As they began to stir, Crane wondered why they were brought there.

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 **AN: Thank you for reading!**


	6. Talks

**Thank you Rachbob and DrewSb for reviewing!**

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When Stiles woke up again the first thing he noticed was the change of lighting in the living room. It was afternoon when he had fallen asleep, but now darkness engulfed the outside. The T.V was still on, but the kitchen lights illuminated the living room. Stiles rubbed his face, he was feeling better. He still felt groggy and a little on edge, but he could tell the farther away from the night before he got, the better he felt. He looked over at the chair to see Scott was gone, and replaced with his father. The man was asleep, propped up on his hand. Stiles wondered if Scott talked to him about what was going on. Part of him hoped Scott did, so he would not have to, but he also hoped his father did not have to know anything. Stiles sat up and yawned before getting off the couch. When he stood up, a wave of dizziness hit him, and he swayed a little. His movements must have awoken his father, because he heard the man groan a little and stand up, rushing to his side.

"Hey, hey you shouldn't be up." The Sheriff grabbed Stiles' arm.

"I'm okay Dad, really."

John sat him back down on the couch. "You need rest."

Stiles sighed. "That's all I've been doing, I'll be fine."

The older man pointed to the bandage on Stiles' wrist. "That does not scream _fine_ to me."

Stiles looked at his wrist before hiding it behind him. "Look I don't know what all Scott said to you, but what happened last night won't happen again. We just weren't ready for it, but we will be."

"Scott was not very elaborate on the details, honestly I don't think I want to know, but it still scares the Hell outta me Stiles." The Sheriff looked at his son with desperate eyes.

"I know Dad, and I'm sorry."

"No, no you have nothing to be sorry for. Getting possessed was not your fault, and this is not your fault."

Stiles wanted to tell his dad everything. He wanted him know about the cutting, the pain, and the new nights he was going to have, but he could not bring himself to do it. Instead he just gave his father a half smile and nodded.

"Now you need to eat something." The Sheriff made his way into the kitchen.

Normally Stiles would protest food, but his stomach growled before he could respond. Scott had made him eat earlier, but his body was still trying to recover from the previous events. He sat in the kitchen and watched his dad make dinner. He found that even though he had slept through most of the day, his eyes were drooping. He did not even notice the plate of food that was set in front of him.

"Eat, and then go to bed."

"Thanks Dad." Stiles dug in and tried to eat as much as he could. He knew if he did not, his father would scold him.

After he was done eating, Stiles went upstairs and decided to get a quick shower in before going back to bed. He took off the bandage on his wrist and looked at the cut he had made. It was jagged and deep, but healing. The night before could have ended so much worse than it had. That scared him, he had no idea what would have happened if Scott did not find him. He had no idea what would have happened if he sacrificed himself to the Nemeton.

Stiles turned on the shower and let the hot water wash over him. He had not realized how much dirt and grime collected on his skin from the night before. He stood under the water for a while, it hurt to move and his eyes were growing heavy. After a few more minutes he got out and went to his room. The warm covers felt amazing as he crawled under them. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Sleep did not last long though, soon the nightmares crept in. Allison was the star of his dream. He saw her again in the basement, or wherever he really was the night before. She just kept bleeding and blaming him for her death.

" _It's your fault."_

" _I'm sorry, please, I'm so sorry for this."_

Allison put her hand on her stomach and pulled it away covered in blood _. "This should be you."_

Stiles was about to say something, but he felt a pain in his stomach. He looked down to see blood running down his torso and waist. He could not breathe anymore. He was dying. He looked up to see Allison smirking at him. She was okay now. If this was the price he had to pay to take back what he did, then fine, but that did not stop the dizziness spreading through his head. Stiles just wanted it to be over. The hot pain was spreading through his body and he could not take it anymore. He cried out.

"Stiles."

Stiles heard his name being called, but Allison's lips were not moving.

"Stiles, wake up!"

Stiles' eyes shot open and his hands went straight to his stomach. No blood. He was not hurt, he was alright.

"Stiles."

Stiles jumped and realized Malia was sitting next to him on his bed. He had not even noticed her. He was covered in sweat, but shivering.

"Are you okay?" He wide eyes stared at him.

Stiles nodded. "Yeah, just a bad dream."

"Bad is an understatement." She huffed.

"It's nothing, really. I'll be fine."

Stiles did not sleep for the rest of the night, but Malia held him like she always did. She fell asleep rather fast, but Stiles still felt safe in her embrace. His eyes watched the darkness outside turn into light. Before he knew it morning had come and it was time for school. He could not afford to miss any more days.

Stiles groaned and sat up. "Malia, come on, we need to get to school."

Malia yawned and grabbed Stiles' arm. "Get any sleep?"

Stiles wiped his face and shook his head.

"Scott can help when we get to school."

"Yeah." Stiles nodded and got up.

He drove Malia to school and was not surprised to see Scott waiting for him. When he got out of his jeep he tried to act cool, but his tired eyes betrayed him.

Scott did not bother asking Stiles, he looked straight at Malia. "He okay?"

"Nightmares, didn't sleep."

Stiles looked at her a little betrayed, but knew Scott would have found out one way or another.

"Come on." Scott grabbed Stiles' arm and led him around the corner of the school where no one was.

They looked around before Stiles held out his hand. Scott grabbed it with both of his, and began to leech the pain away. As the black veins crawled out of Stiles and into Scott he began to get flashes of something. It was like Scott could see into Stiles' head. What he saw, however, he did not like. Scott gasped at the image and pulled away in tears.

Stiles flinched back as Scott pulled away. He saw the flashes too and his gut twisted in guilt. "Oh, God. You saw her didn't you?"

The tears in Scott's eyes confirmed what Stiles thought. Scott saw part of Stiles' nightmare. He saw Allison bleeding and dying again.

Stiles shook his head. "Scott, I'm so sorry, I never wanted you to know about that."

Scott took a moment to compose himself. "No, no it's okay. I just wasn't expecting that."

"That's it, we're done. I'm not letting you take anymore." Stiles threw his hands up and walked away. He could not bear for Scott to go through that again.

"Stiles, wait!" Scott ran after him, but the bell rang. They had to get to class.

Stiles was not in his first two classes, so Scott had to wait until lunch to track him down. Scott scanned the courtyard for his best friend, but he was nowhere to be found. He wished their connection was a little stronger, maybe then he could track him down. Scott sniffed the air and tried to pick up Stiles' scent. He checked the locker room with no luck, but then as he walked down the hallway he caught a whiff of anxiety, Stiles' anxiety. Scott's eyes widened and he ran towards the scent. He was led to an empty science lab, save for Stiles who was leaned over one of the lab tables.

Scott burst through the door. "Stiles!"

It was what he feared. Stiles had a scalpel in his hand and was about to make another cut into his upper arm. He turned to look at Scott and began to shake his head.

Scott shut the door behind him and walked up to Stiles. "You promised you wouldn't do that again."

Stiles dropped the scalpel on the counter. "You weren't supposed to see in my head. I can't have that happen again, Scott."

"Stiles, please it's okay. Yeah I'm not gonna lie I wasn't expecting that, but I understand. I'm not surprised she haunts you like that, but I promise that she never blamed you for what happened." Tears went down his face. "All she ever wanted to do was save you."

Stiles shook his head again. "I don't care about the pain anymore Scott, I won't let you hurt too."

Scott laughed a little. "How do you think I feel seeing you like this? Dude you're seriously scaring me. If I can help you, I will." He held out his hand.

"No." Stiles shook his head.

"Stiles, please."

Stiles thought for a moment, but shook his head again. "Tomorrow. You've already taken some today, okay?"

Scott felt like that was as good as he was going to get. "Okay." He pulled back his hand. He would have to keep a closer on Stiles. He was terrified the boy would do something stupid. He just hoped he would let him help.

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 **AN: Thank you for reading!**


	7. Taken

**Thank you rachbob and orionastro for reviewing!**

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Stiles did not say much for the rest of the day. In fact if it were not for their classes, Scott thought he might elude him altogether. Stiles never wanted Scott to be hurt through this. It was his fault, and his problem to bear. Even during lacrosse practice, Stiles tried to distract himself to avoid talking to Scott. In the locker room, Stiles got his stuff as quick as he could and headed to his jeep. He should have known Scott would be waiting for him, blocking his way to the driver door.

"Scott, please. I can't have you help me anymore."

"No, I'm not going to let you do this to yourself. I don't care if I see Allison like that, okay. I know it's not real. If you think I don't already see her every day in my head, then you'd be wrong. Maybe I don't picture her like that, but she's there. I can handle a little more." Scott looked at Stiles with pleading eyes.

Stiles stared at his best friend for a while. "Fine, but if you ever want to tell me your done, do it, okay. I won't let you suffer for me."

Scott smiled. "Good."

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Over the next couple of days, Scott took Stiles' pain away and, just like last time, Stiles felt amazing. No pain, no depression, no constant feeling of being tired. He could actually sleep at night because of Scott. Every time Scott tried leeching Stiles' pain, the boy still protested. He did not want to put Scott through anything, but seeing Stiles like he was made Scott happy. He wanted to help his friend, no matter what the cost.

Like last time, Stiles could feel the full moon was close. Their plan was the same as before; help Malia through the shift. Lydia had been letting them use her family's boathouse. The basement in there was a good, secure place, for her.

"We have a problem." Lydia walked up to Scott, Stiles, Malia, and Kira at lunch.

Scott could tell this was not going to be good. "What?"

"My mom won't let me use the boathouse this month. I guess she saw the claw marks and decided I couldn't be trusted." She looked at Malia.

Malia shrank down a little. "Sorry."

Kira's eyes went from Lydia to Scott. "So what do we do?"

"Maybe it's time gain full control." Stiles wished saying it made it true.

Malia shook her head. "No, I can't control it yet. I don't trust myself enough to roam free."

Stiles nodded and grabbed her hands. "Okay, okay. We'll figure it out."

"I guess we can take you to the reserve, secure you to a tree." Scott could not think of a better idea.

That night felt off to everyone. Malia was struggling to control the shift, but was doing better than she had. Scott and Stiles stayed nearby to ensure she did not break free, but something just felt wrong the whole night. Stiles looked behind him, past the tree Malia was tied to.

"You feel that?"

Scott looked where Stiles was. "Yeah."

"Something isn't right."

Scott stood up and walked closer to the shadows. He sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything, but you're right. Something seems different."

Stiles continued to stare, but nothing ever happened.

The man watched through the trees as the coyote pulled on her restraints. Her blue eyes stared back at him, but she never really saw him. The other two looked in his direction as well. He was smart enough to cover his scent, but the boys seemed to feel his presence. He watched Stiles closely. The full moon was affecting him. He was no wolf, he just ran with them, but the moon had to be what was making him better. The man did not want him better, he wanted him to suffer. He had to figure out exactly what was happening, before he made his move.

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Crane was trying to concentrate in his cage. The man that took them was smart enough to separate them. His betas still had trouble on a full moon. Mina did a decent job at staying calm, but Renny was a firecracker. Impulsive and irrational, not much set him off. He banged on his cage, hungry for blood. Crane's concentration was broken when the man slammed the door open and rushed in the shabby room. He marched straight up to Crane's cage and met his eyes.

"Why is he okay under a full moon? I saw him the other night, he was falling to pieces, but now!"

Crane crooked his head at the man's tantrum.

"Tell me why he's okay."

Crane shrugged, still unsure what the man was ranting about. "He must still have the demon in him. It must be fueled by moonlight, just like us."

The man shook his head. "No, no that's not all there is to it. Something is happening, it's because of the Alpha."

"The Alpha?" Crane questioned. Something had popped in his head.

The man saw this. "What? You know something."

"Well, there is something, but I don't think I'm going to tell you. Not while I'm in here." Crane held his hands out.

Anger flashed in the man's eyes. "I'm not playing games." He grabbed an electric prod from the wall and went straight to Mina. He did not hesitate before stabbing it through the cage and into her side.

Mina yelled out.

Crane rolled his eyes. "There's no need for that. Can't blame a man for trying."

The man came back over. "Tell me what you know."

"There is a myth told, and seeing how the Alpha has already fulfilled one myth, I would not be surprised it this too were the case." Crane paused.

The man was impatient. "Go. On."

"It is said that a connection can be formed between an alpha and a pack human. One that goes deep. Deep enough to heal. The alpha and the pack rat must have gained such a connection." Crane huffed to himself, impressed such a thing could exist.

"So this connection would be stronger on a full moon, when the Alpha is strongest?" The man thought to himself. "That must have been why he reverted back." He looked back at Crane. "Is there a day of the month that you are weakest?"

"I wouldn't say weak by any means. But there is a day after the full moon that makes us feel average. It's when the moon is farthest from the Earth."

"When?"

Crane eyes him. "I think a plan is forming in your head. If it's what I think, then I want what I came here for."

"You may get your chance, if you tell me."

"Two weeks after the full moon, during apogee. That is when he'll be at his weakest, but tread lightly, if what the myth says is true. The Alpha can sense the boy."

The man smiled. "Then you may get more than what you came here for."

He had a lot of planning to do in a short amount of time.

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Like last time, Stiles still felt great the day after the full moon, but he could feel the bond slipping. He was more nervous than before now that he knew what to expect. He was worried everything was going to go wrong again. What concerned him even more, though, was the weird feeling that still lingered from the previous night.

Scott came up to him in school. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, good, just uneasy I guess, I don't know."

"Yeah, I know, but don't worry we'll get through it. It's no different than keeping an eye on Malia during the full moon. We can handle it this time."

Stiles scoffed. "Yeah no different. She happens to be blood thirsty, while I'm trying to cause chaos and destruction against the entire world. Not different at all."

Scott laughed. "Okay, it's different, but we'll get it this time okay? Don't worry."

"That's just it, I'm really worried." Stiles shook his head.

Scott took Stiles' shoulders. "It will be alright. Trust me."

Stiles sighed, but agreed. It would have to be okay.

As the week went on, and each day came closer to temporary insanity, Stiles sat more on edge. His nerves were heightened, and part of him just wanted to hide until apogee was over. He still felt great, but Stiles was not sure if that was a good enough tradeoff for what was to come.

Two days before apogee, there was a lot on Stiles' mind. He wondered what he would see this time. He wondered if he would try to off himself again. He wondered what his father was going to do. Stiles sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He was sitting at his desk trying to work out a plan in case something went wrong.

Stiles could have never planned for what happened next.

His window opened and he thought it was Malia coming in. She usually didn't come this early. Stiles turned to see, not Malia, but a man. He jumped up from his chair causing it to fall onto the ground. Stiles stared for a moment, wondering if this was another hallucination, but then the man came towards him and Stiles ran. He ran out of his bedroom, and into the hallway. He thought he could get to the stairs before the man caught up, but before he could run down, he felt immense pain in the back of his neck. The man had a Taser. The last thing Stiles could remember before he blacked out was the slow motion-like fall he had down the stairs. The world faded before he hit the ground.

The man smiled as he stood over Stiles' unconscious form. He had him. Now his revenge could begin.

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 **AN: Do you all hate me for that cliff hanger? Thanks for reading! More is on the way soon!**


	8. Hell

**Thank you Shadow-wolf78, rachbob, and orionastro for reviewing!**

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When Stiles woke up, the back of his neck was throbbing. He remembered running from someone in his house. He remembered getting tased. He remembered falling down the stairs. Stiles opened his eyes, but before he could take in his surroundings, a sudden movement and loud noise caused him to jump. There was a man in a cage next to him that hit the bars and began to howl and laugh. Stiles crawled back until he hit metal bars; he too was in a cage. He was panicking now. Stiles looked around and found himself in some sort of basement. There were empty cages next to him on one side, and three filled cages on the other. All separated, but his quick eyes noticed the middle of each cell could slide into the wall, turning them into one. Stiles could not know for sure, but he had a feeling the three other occupants werewolves. They each stared at him with hungry eyes.

"Where am I?"

The girl in the middle laughed. "This? This is what survived a Nogitsune. He's nothing but a scared little boy."

Stiles squinted in confusion. Why did they know about him?

The man farthest away smiled. "He's stronger than he looks."

The spastic man closest to Stiles jumped up and down a little. "Do you think he can get us what we want?"

"We have to get out of here first now wouldn't we, Renny? But yes, we'll get what we came for."

Stiles shrank back a little. He did not like the sound of anything being said. "So, three wolves and a human stuck in bunch of cages together. Anyone know who our host is?" Maybe it was another group of hunters. He did kill Allison after all.

"That would be him." The leader of the wolves pointed to a man that was now standing in front of Stiles' cell.

"Jeez!" Stiles huffed. That guy came out of nowhere. "Okay, creepy, ominous, serial killer guy. What do you want?"

The man leaned in towards the bars. "I want you to suffer."

"Great."

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John Stillinski came home after a mostly non-eventful day. Not much had happened, which left time for him to think. His mind worried about his son. After finding out what was going on with Stiles, he did not know what to do. Stiles had been great, almost his old self again, but from what he had told him, John knew it would all come crashing down in a couple of days. The Sheriff could already see the change in Stiles just like before. He hated seeing his son in distress. He hated even more that his son's behavior reminded him of Claudia. John sighed as he went into the house.

"Stiles, I'm home."

There was no response, but Stiles' jeep had been parked in the driveway. Thinking his son was asleep, John went upstairs to check on him.

John knocked on the open door and entered. "Stiles…"

There was no Stiles, but there was an open window and a chair on the floor. Panic rushed in the man. He pulled out his phone and dialed his son's number. His fingers twitched as he waited for the phone to ring. A loud vibration caught John's attention. Stiles' phone was on his bedside table. Stiles was gone. His son was gone. The Sheriff tried to calm himself as he dialed Scott's number. Scott could find him, he would know where his son was.

" _Hello?"_

"Scott! Stiles is gone, I think something may have happened. It looks like a struggle, but I can't be sure."

" _What? Okay, he shouldn't be affected too much by anything yet. He still has a couple of days before it gets bad. Someone…someone must have been there."_ Scott was already heading to the Stillinski home.

"Who, Scott? Who would take my son?"

" _I don't know. I'm on my way. We'll find him. I promise."_

John hung up the phone and searched the house for clues for his son's whereabouts. If someone had his son, then he needed to find him as soon as possible. There was no telling what they wanted, or what they would do.

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Stiles was huddled in the corner trying to figure a way out of his current predicament. The man had left, but he seemed exceptional angry with Stiles. The boy was sure the Nogitsune was the cause, but he could not remember the man's face. What did he do to him? He was having a hard time concentrating. First of all he was coming off his Adderall, and second: the three wolves would not stop staring at him. He sighed and looked at them.

"What?"

The girl was the first to answer. "I just still can't believe you of all people beat a Nogitsune."

"Now, now, Mina. You of all people should know not everything is at it seems." The man on the end spoke.

"Yeah Crane, but it looks like we could snap him in half." The guy closest to Stiles swung on the bars.

"It's incredible what the body can achieve under possession."

"Yeah, it was a real hoot." Stiles rolled his eyes. "Anyone mind telling me what we're all doing here?"

"That, is an excellent question." The leader smirked. "I know why you're here, but us. That is still a little unclear."

"He wants to use us." Mina shrugged.

"Or maybe he didn't want us getting in the way. We were coming for you after all."

"Renny, shut up." Mina glared.

Stiles shook his head. "What would you want with me?"

The two wolves looked to their leader.

"I suppose it doesn't matter at this point. We came to Beacon Hills to take something from you, Stiles."

Stiles shrunk back a little. "What?"

"You were the last person in control of the Oni. Powerful demons that would give us anything we wanted. I want that power, Stiles. We came here for it."

Stiles shook his head. "I was never in control of them, that was him, and he's gone."

The man perked a little. "Is he? Do you not still share a bond with the creature? You still have a part of it in you Stiles, that part can still summon them. You may not realize it, boy, but you have more power left over than you know."

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When Scott got to Stiles' house he was panicking. He did not want to go through this again. They were supposed to be out of the rough, and onto better things. He ran inside and was met by the Sheriff who was tearing apart the house in search of clues.

"Nothing, except an open window." He looked at the boy with desperate eyes. "Please say you catch a scent."

Scott looked around for a minute before shutting his eyes. He concentrated on the air around him. He could smell Stiles. He was panicked and scared. His nerves were on edge. Scott had no problem picking up Stiles' scent inside the house, but that was all he was picking up. Scott could not smell a single chemo signal besides his best friends'. It reminded him of that night on the roof with Derek. Stiles had been fighting himself. He hoped that was not the case this time.

"What? What is it?"

Scott shook his head. "Nothing."

"What?"

Scott shrugged. "I sense Stiles, but…are you sure there was someone else here?"

The Sheriff shook his head in anger. "Scott, this isn't like before okay. He didn't just leave, someone did this."

Scott wanted to believe him. "Then they knew how to cover their scent."

"Then track Stiles."

"I can't." Scott wanted to cry.

"You can't? But that connection thing, I thought-"

"Closer to the full moon, yeah, but this close to the night everything goes wrong…there's no way to find him through scent or emotions." Scott was terrified as to what could happen to Stiles if he was still missing for over twenty-four hours.

The Sheriff was thinking the same thing. "We have to find my son."

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It had been too long for Stiles. apogee was approaching, and he could feel the effects. He was shaky, and swaying a little where he sat.

Mina stared at him through the bars of her cell. "Crane, what's wrong with him?"

Crane watched Stiles close. Something was starting to happen to the boy.

"It's amazing what withdraw symptoms will occur when one goes off medication cold turkey." The man appeared in front of Stiles' cell.

Sweat was beading on Stiles' face, he stared with curious, blurry eyes.

"Oh I know everything about you. Including you abuse of Adderall for the past, what, five years? That's not to mention the new amount of meds they've put you on since you slaughtered all those people." The man glared. "On top of whatever happens to you tonight, can't feel very good I'd wager."

Stiles shifted, trying to stifle the tremors. "You do know everything, huh? You've sure spent a long time stalking me, you must think I'm pretty."

The man smirked. "Always a joker, aren't you? You'll understand why you're here soon enough; sometime after the begging starts."

Stiles could not help but flinch back. What did this man have planned for him? Normally he would have retorted with a witty comeback, but he could not keep his mind focused. This man was going to hurt him soon, and he was not looking forward to that one bit.

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"What do you mean he's gone?"

Scott sighed. "Malia, please just calm down okay. We're going to find him."

"But you have no idea where he is, or even if someone took him or not." Malia stared at the Alpha.

"If there was no scent, then what makes you think someone took him?" Kira was not sure how to help.

"It's not like Stiles to disappear." Lydia thought about her words. "Okay, it's not like him to disappear when he's not under demonic possession. Nothing should have been happening like that yet. Someone had to have done this."

Malia turned her attention to the banshee. "Is he going to die?"

Lydia's eyes watered. "I don't know. I don't feel anything right now, but I don't know."

"He won't." Scott was sure.

"What's going to happen to him tomorrow night?" Kira knew things would get bad for him.

No one wanted to say anything. They knew that wherever Stiles was, he was going to have a tough time. There was no telling what he would do.

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Humming. The man was humming. He walked down the hallway, dragging a thin metal pipe across the bars. He stopped in front of Stiles' cell and looked at the shaking boy.

"It's time to start." The man opened the cage door and shut it behind him.

Stiles stood up. This could be his only chance to try and escape.

"I'm gonna enjoy this." The man smiled before swinging the pipe at Stiles.

Stiles ducked out of the way, and ran to the other side of the cage. The man stood in the middle, following Stiles with his eyes. If Stiles could get close enough he could get the keys and get out. They stood there for a moment waiting for the other to make a move before Stiles decided to go for it. He dived at the man, but he was hit with the pipe causing him to slam into Renny's side of the cell wall. Before Stiles could shuffle away, Renny grabbed Stiles' and dug his claws into his arm.

"I'm not sure who I should help here. You could get us out if you got the key, but you might not. But him, he's about to put on a show." Renny laughed and shoved Stiles straight into the man.

Stiles lost his footing and man began hit him with the pipe, causing him to fall to the floor. The man continued to beat him with the pipe. Stiles could not help but scream with every hit. He was on the ground, the sound of the pipe hitting his bones got louder. The man was angry and yelling. Tears ran down his face as he continued to hit Stiles, over and over again. Stiles could do nothing, but try and crawl away.

Hit. Scream. Hit. Scream. The three werewolves watched as the man beat the boy. They stood silent, while the screams turned into whimpers.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	9. The Long Night

**Thank you farkaskutya, Shadow-wolf78, and rachbob for reviewing!**

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"Where do we even start?" Kira looked at the others.

They were all huddled at the animal clinic trying to figure out how to find Stiles.

"We can't catch a scent." Malia stared at the table in front of her.

"And tonight is Apogee." Kira looked at Scott.

"Look, he's out there. Someone had to have taken him, and they either are a werewolf or know about us, because they covered their scent. So let's start there." His eyes turned to Lydia.

The red head did not care for the pressure. "Okay, if they know then maybe it's a hunter trying to get to you, Scott."

Scott sighed. "Maybe, but wouldn't they say something; leave a note?"

"Does anyone else think it's weird Stiles got taken when he did?" Kira bit her bottom lip.

"You think they know?" Malia grew worried.

"Perhaps this is more about Stiles than we thought." Deaton was in thought.

"What do you mean?" Scott did not like where this was going.

Deaton looked at the Alpha. "Maybe the person that took Stiles was hurt by him in some way. The Nogitsune did a lot of damage wearing his face."

"You think someone wants revenge on him?" Scott stared at his mentor.

Lydia thought about the doctor's words. "It would make sense. Someone saw Stiles, they remembered him, they've probably been following him."

"The last full moon." Scott perked up. "It felt weird, like someone was watching us. If they figured out how to cover their scent, then they must know everything."

"They know about tonight." Malia hated to think what could happen to Stiles.

Scott nodded. "I think they might."

"We need to figure out any person affected by the Nogitsune, and anyone who would want revenge on Stiles." Lydia sprang into action.

"I'll go to the Sheriff station and see what Stiles' dad can dig up. Lydia, go to the hospital, and ask my mom if she can get a list of injuries and deaths from then." Scott looked at his friends. "We'll find him. He'll be okay."

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Stiles let out a shaky breath when the blows finally stopped. He hurt all over. The man definitely worked out some anger on him, but thankfully, as far as he could tell there were no broken bones. He thought maybe a rib got cracked, but for the most part, Stiles was just battered and bloody. Once he caught his breath, he spoke.

"Well I've obviously angered you in some way." He spit blood onto the floor. "Feel better?"

The man, who too was out of breath, laughed a little. "Oh, we're just getting started."

Stiles coughed. "If you know so much about me, then you should know none of it was me."

"You let it in!" The man slammed the pipe onto the bars, causing Stiles to jump.

"I didn't have control." Stiles did not know why he was trying to argue this.

"No, instead you and your wolves got selfish. They should have killed you as soon as that thing took you over. Maybe then those demons would not have caused so much damage…maybe then…" The man stopped and calmed himself.

Stiles was trying to think through the pounding headache, and constant panic running through him. "Demons? The Oni. They hurt someone close to you, didn't they?"

The man came closer. "You're going to pay for your mistakes, Stiles."

"How do you know all this?"

"People talk, things talk. I listen. I saw you, and ever since then I've been hunting you down." The man looked up. "It'll be night soon. Curious how the night will treat you." He backed up and left the cells.

Crane had watched the whole ordeal with interest. Did the man know about his pack wanting the Oni? "We may have to adjust what we came for."

Mina snapped towards her leader. "What do you mean?"

"I'm beginning to think there is more to getting what we want than we thought."

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Scott texted his mom and told her that Lydia was on her way to talk to her about the night the Oni attacked the hospital. Melissa met Lydia at the front desk and led her to a file room.

"That was definitely a night I would love to forget." Melissa shuffled through papers.

Lydia gave a half smile. "We all do."

Melissa looked a little more until she pulled out a file. "Here we go, list of deaths from that night." She handed the file to Lydia. "So you have no idea what happened to Stiles?" Concern filled her face.

"We're hoping this helps." Lydia took the file and began to scan through it. She would have to look up everyone and see if something stood out. "Can you think of any family of the people on this list that might have seen Stiles?"

Melissa scanned the list. "I don't think so, everyone that night…wait a second. Ilene White. Her husband was there I guess, he came to the hospital after everything wanting to see the video. I told him the Sheriff had it locked up, but he kept pressing. It's not much, but I would start there."

Lydia nodded. "Thank you." She hoped Scott was having luck on his end.

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Scott stood in the Sheriff's office. It was almost night out and he had no idea what to do. They had been looking up anyone connected to the Nogitsune. Anything that could lead them to anyone, but they were coming up empty.

"I don't know what's going to happen to him tonight." Scott looked out the window at the setting sun.

"He'll be okay." Kira got up from where she was sitting and put a hand on Scott's shoulder.

"He wasn't last time." Scott turned to look at the Sheriff. "Last time he tried to sacrifice himself to the Nemeton."

The Sheriff shut his eyes. He hated to think about his son in pain.

Scott thought to himself. "It wanted him to go back there. If Stiles can get away from whoever has him, maybe that's where he'll go."

Before anyone could argue, Scott was out of the door.

Kira smiled at the Sheriff. "Stiles is strong. He'll be okay."

The Sheriff nodded. "I know."

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Stiles was trying to calm his breathing. The whispers were getting louder. Stiles looked up to see the man sitting in front of his cell.

"In for the night then?" Stiles could not control his tremors.

The man watched as Stiles tried to calm himself down.

"I've been watching you for a while now. I was there last month when you were in the woods. You were screaming, and crying, and talking to nothing. I stood right in front of you, and you never noticed me. Why was that?"

Stiles thought back to the night he thought he was in the basement. He must have already been in the woods. Allison was there, and Aiden, but so were all the people he hurt. The man was there, right there, but he had no idea. There were just too many faces. "I was a little preoccupied, sorry I didn't stop to say hi."

The man's face did not change. "Don't try to shield yourself with humor. I think I know what you were seeing. You saw all the people you killed."

Stiles' wide eyes gave the man the answer he was looking for.

"You saw them because it was your fault."

Stiles shook his head. "No, it wasn't."

"Keep telling yourself that. Tell them that tonight."

"He's good." Stiles' head snapped up to see his void self, standing in the cell staring at his captor.

"Go away, please."

Void Stiles shook his head and walked closer to the edge of the cell. "Can't. We have to save us, Stiles."

"Don't say us." Stiles shook his head against the wall.

"He wants a show Stiles, but we can't give him one."

Stiles shut his eyes. "Then leave."

"Not an option. Get up and let me help you. We have to get out of here. You have to get to me."

Stiles looked at his void self. Why did he have to see this? Stiles hauled himself up and walked to the middle of the cell. He stared at the man on the outside.

"Think Stiles." Void disappeared and Stiles was stuck inside his own head again. He was remembering everything he did; every detail of his possession. He was starting to remember things he never realized happened. All for the possibility of escape.

Mina watched with interest at the still boy. She crooked her head to Crane. "What's he doing in there?"

Crane studied the boy. "I'd wager he's putting on a war with himself."

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Lydia went into the Sheriff's station. "Scott's mom said to look up Ilene White's husband. Said he came around the hospital a lot after what happened."

The Sheriff took the name and looked up Ilene on the computer. "Ilene White; married to Mark White." The Sheriff looked up the man. "He put in a request to see the security tapes from that night, but he had no liable cause so it was denied and he never pushed it. Looks like he left Beacon Hills."

"Where'd he go?" Lydia had a bad feeling about him.

"No where." The Sheriff shook his head as he typed. "He never registered anywhere else, no license, or ownership of anything."

"Could he own property near here without it being on record?" Lydia shifted.

Stilinski looked up. "In this town? I'm sure he would have no problem having some secret underground lair or something."

"What if he saw Stiles?" Lydia caught herself. "Not Stiles, but that thing with his face. What if he saw him and began to pursue, but once he found out whose son he was, he stopped and decided to handle it himself."

"If this guy thinks we covered a massacre because Stiles did it, then he would want a lot of payback for what happened." John's heart skipped a little.

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He was in the locker again. Stiles could hear the bandaged demon clawing at the metal; coming closer to him. He tried to stay quiet, but his panicked breathing gave him away.

"Not the right place, Stiles."

Stiles pushed on the locker and fell into the large white room. In the middle was the Nemeton and the Go board. The creature shuffled behind the tree stump.

"Still not right."

Stiles stared at the creature with silver teeth. It scared him more than the other version. He weirdly found comfort when he saw himself compared to creature. At least then he could believe it was his own head talking to him, and not the demon.

"Go back there Stiles. See what I did."

He thought back to what it was like when the Nogitsune split from him. It was like he was in one place, but he could see a fuzzy version of what was going on in its head. He could see what it saw if it let him. The memory of the hospital got clearer each time he thought about it. Now, it was like he was there himself, not in a dream. He watched as the Oni split people in two. He felt the chaos and fear, and it felt good.

Crane watched as Stiles' demeanor changed. The boy, who had been standing and shaking in the middle of the cell for quite some time, stopped. He straightened up, unaware of the pain caused by his earlier beating. He crooked his head a little and smirked at their captor. There was more left in the boy than the Alpha thought.

"She had long golden hair, that no matter how she wore it seemed to glisten under the light."

The man perked up.

Stiles smirked. "That smile could light up any room she walked in."

The man stood up from his seat and took a step closer to the bars.

Stiles looked him in the eye. "Her scream was like a song."

Anger flashed across the man's face. "I was bringing her dinner when I heard the shouting. I ran up just in time to see those things slice her across the stomach. She died in my arms and when I looked up, I saw your face staring back at me."

Stiles closed his eyes as if he were remembering something beautiful. "Mmm, and her fear tasted so sweet. I wish I could gut her again."

That was it. The man took out the keys and unlocked the cell door. He ran into the cell ready to beat the life out of Stiles. He threw a sloppy punch, but what happened was something he did not expect.

Stiles caught the man's arm. He was calm and collected, not like the boy he had been watching for the last several hours. The boy's grip was tight as he twisted his arm and kicked him to the ground. Stiles wasted no time and running out of the cell.

This was not possible. The man had been watching Stiles go through withdrawal of his medication. He had watched his mind fall apart because of his weak connection to the wolf. None of this was going to plan.

Stiles ran down the hallway as the whispers flooded his head.

"You have to find a way out Stiles. We have to get to me, tonight."

Stiles hated the voices going through his mind, but if they would help him escape, he was going to listen.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!**


	10. Trapped

**Thank you rachbob, farkaskutya, and Shadow-wolf78 for reviewing!**

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Scott waited in the woods, because he did not know what else to do. He knew Stiles would not just show up, but if Scott spent any more time sitting in the Sheriff's station he would go crazy. He had to at least feel like he was doing something, even if he knew it was for nothing.

As Scott stared at the stump of the Nemeton, he thought about its current significance in their lives. He knew it was the cause of everything that happened to Stiles. He knew that it activated some type of pulse that was leading supernatural beings to Beacon Hills. What Scott did not understand, was why Stiles was trying to give it his blood. In the craziness that ensued inside his best friend's head, something told him to sacrifice himself to the tree. Scott wondered if there was still something left of the Nogitsune. What would happen if Stiles ever succeeded?

Scott sighed, lost in his thoughts. He hoped that wherever Stiles was, he was okay.

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Stiles ran. He had to get out the building. He had to get away from the man and the wolves. He had to get to Scott, even though the voices were telling him to get to the Nemeton. Stiles found his way through a door and up a set of stairs. He thought he was going to make it when he felt a stinging shock course through his body.

Tased again.

Stiles did not even realize the man was so close. He collapsed on the stairs as the man pulled his head up by his hair.

"I should feed you to the dogs." He dragged Stiles down. "But I have better plans for you."

He continued to drag Stiles back to his cell.

"I should have never underestimated someone like you."

Stiles was trying to blink back the focus to his eyes. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

The man kicked Stiles in the face. He pulled something out of his pocket. "You know my wife was a nurse for a long time. I learned a lot about medicine. Like this." He held out a syringe. "This has been known to give people vivid hallucinations."

"More than I'm already having? Great." Stiles tried to move his arm as the man plunged the needle into his skin.

The injection stung as it coursed through his body. Stiles watched as the walls began to melt away like black ink caught in the rain. He was having trouble focusing.

"And this one." The man held out another syringe. "When mixed with that one, causes immense pain."

Stiles tried to shuffle away, but the room was spinning. The man injected him, and his world exploded. His body seized up from the pain, and before his world spun out completely, he saw the man leave and his Void self shaking his head.

"We were so close."

The man smiled as he walked out of the cell, his head turned as he heard one of the wolves growl.

Mina glared at the man with glowing blue eyes. "He's still just a boy."

"A boy that got my wife killed."

Mina shook her head. "Wives die every day."

"Do you really feel sorry for him?" He stepped closer to the cell. "What were your plans for him? You came here to bring the demon out, well there it is." He pointed in the cage where Stiles was staring at things that were not there.

Mina looked down. "Just because we have plan for him, doesn't mean it's okay to torture the kid."

The man huffed and turned from her.

As if his night was not already going to Hell. Stiles could not escape the current pain his body felt. It was as if someone had set his blood on fire, and trapped him in his own head. His mind was mixed with memories of the Nogitsune, and the fears he had. Stiles kept seeing his friends dying by his hand.

"This is your fault, Stiles." Void Stiles was glaring at him.

The floor was filled with the blood of his friends. The blood of his dad. Stiles shut his eyes, but the images would not go away.

The man watched Stiles struggle on the floor until the boy finally passed out.

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Scott waited at the Nemeton until the sun rose. He was texting Lydia the whole night, no one had gotten any closer to finding Stiles, but she did think she found who took him. Scott hoped when he got back to the Sheriff's station he would get more information, but they did not have much to go one.

They knew the man's name was Mark White. They knew his wife died from the Oni. They knew his last known address, but that was about it. He had been living under the radar since he left Beacon Hills, and they could not find any trace of him.

"We don't even know if this guy actually took him." Scott looked at his friends.

Lydia shifted. "No, but he's the only one that makes sense. It has to be him."

"We've checked for buildings under his name, or any family name he's ever been connected to. There's just nothing." Kira looked away from Scott.

"I put an APB out on this guy, but if he has Stiles, he probably won't be out wondering the streets."

"He's okay right? I mean even after last night. Stiles will be okay." Malia was sitting on the bench in Stilinski's office.

Scott knelt down in the front of her. "He's gonna be okay. I think I would feel it, if he wasn't. Even with the connection being weak, if he…if something really bad happened, I think I would know."

"Me too." Lydia gave a half smile. "I haven't felt, whatever it is I feel, so he's alive. He's definitely alive."

They all felt a slight comfort in this, even though they all knew Stiles being alive did not mean he was okay. They had no idea what the man was doing to him, not to mention the craziness that ensues during apogee. They all just wished everything would work out, and Stiles would be unharmed.

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Stiles woke up the next morning to someone giving him water. He opened his eyes to see the man above him, holding his head. Stiles pulled away and the man let him catch his breath. He had mostly sweated out the drugs from the night before, but the room was spinning, and his head was still not in the right place.

"It's important to stay hydrated."

The man put the water bottle back to Stiles' mouth and he gulped as much as he could. He tried to pull away from it to breathe, but the man held Stiles' head firm. Stiles began to choke on the water, but the man still made him drink until the bottle was empty. When the man let go, Stiles finally let out a choked cough, and gasped in air. He was coughing so hard the already sick feeling in his stomach grew. The man stood up and took a step back as Stiles threw up on the floor. There was a mixture, clear liquid, blood, and some black substance. He was not a doctor, but that did not look good.

Stiles looked up, out of breath. "Please, stop this."

The man smirked.

Stiles shut his eyes trying to even out his breathing. "What's your end game with all this? Just going to torture me until I die?"

The man knelt down against the bars. "Why don't you tell me what you think."

His head was fuzzy, and every inch of him hurt. Stiles did not want to think, but his eyes met the man's and he spoke anyway. "I think these cages open into one big one."

The man looked at the bars separating Stiles from the others. There was a line in the wall and gears at the top. "Very good."

"I think you seem to know everything about me, so you probably know Scott will be able to find me soon."

"I believe that's where we come in." Crane crossed his arms. "Have us kill the Alpha since you can't, but leave us here to rot after the deed is done."

The man smiled.

Stiles shook his head. "Scott has nothing to do with this."

The man stood up and yelled. "He has everything to do with this! This is as much his fault as it is yours."

"I let it in. Scott couldn't have stopped that." The fear of Scott's death made Stiles panic.

"He should not have tried to save you. He should have killed you when he found out it was in you. And look at all the good it's done. You're both going to die anyway. More lives were lost because he let you live." His eyes flared.

"He would have saved her if he could."

The anger grew on the man's face. He grabbed the pipe off the ground and opened up Stiles' cage.

Stiles did not have much energy left, but the attempted to scoot back. "No, no, no, no. Please!"

The man did not listen. He only beat Stiles until he was unconscious.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	11. Found

**Thank you farkaskutya, Shadow-wolf78, and rachbob for reviewing!**

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Scott wished they knew how this whole connection thing worked. He knew the last time it happened he began to have a sense of Stiles soon after apogee, but he was not sure if that was because he had healed him, or because he was so close. Right now Scott felt nothing, and that terrified him. He wondered if Stiles did die, if he would feel it at all, or if it was just wishful thinking.

He could not focus. Searching for the man that took Stiles was coming up empty every time. That was of course if he even was to blame. They had no evidence, nothing to back up his guilt. Only that he seemed like the most likely of suspects. There was still always the option that Stiles lost it and took off on his own. Scott could not believe that though. If he did, that could mean the Nogitsune left a bigger imprint than any of them thought. Stiles was out there, and soon Scott would find him.

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Every time Stiles woke up in that cage, his body hurt a little more. His head was spinning, he ached all over, and the whispers were still flooding his head. There were people standing in his cell; Allison, Aiden, now the man's wife. Just staring at him. His breathing was erratic, and if it were not for the fact he was exhausted, he would not be able to stay still. He could not focus to the point that he could not think anymore. Any plans for escape were betrayed by his own head. All he knew was that Scott was coming for him. He had no idea when, but he knew sooner or later he would show up.

Stiles wanted nothing more than to be free of that place, but he also did not want Scott to be in danger. He was not sure how the Alpha would fare against three werewolves and a psychopathic maniac in a room with his battered and broken best friend.

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Scott's head was throbbing. He hated sitting in class while his best friend was out there somewhere. Class was almost done, and when it was he was going to continue searching for Stiles. Before class ended, something caught his attention. Lydia was in a desk in front of him holding her head and squeezing her eyes shut. He could sense her distress. The bell rang causing them both to jump, and Scott wasted no time in going to the red head.

"Lydia." He put his hand on her shoulder.

She shook her head. "I don't know, Scott. It sounds like metal scraping or something. It started small like always, but it's been getting louder all day." The pain was etched on her face.

"Stiles?"

Lydia gave him a look. She did not want to believe it, but she knew this had to do with him.

"Okay, okay. We need to get everyone together, we need to…" Scott titled his head.

"What?" Lydia looked at him.

"I don't know…it's like-" He looked at Lydia. "I think I can sense him again. Lydia I think I can find him."

"We have to get to the Sheriff station, get help." Lydia stood up.

"No, there's not time. Lydia, you're never wrong about these things. If I don't go now…" Scott headed for the door. "I'll call you when I get there and tell you were he is!" Scott ran.

"Scott , wait!" The sound in Lydia's head got louder. She needed to find Kira and Malia. Scott had no idea what he was walking into.

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Stiles perked up a little from where he was lying on the ground. Something felt different out of nowhere. Scott. Stiles had no idea how he knew, but he could feel Scott. Their connection was coming back, and if he had a sense of Scott, then Scott had a sense of Stiles. Scott was coming for him. Relief and panic washed over him all at once. He had the potential to get out of his Hell, but at the same time he could lose everything.

"He's coming for you isn't he?"

Crap. Stiles looked at the werewolves. Crane could smell his change in emotion. He was smart enough to figure out why. Stiles could not breathe anymore. He had already had countless panic attacks in the cage, but another one did not help. Scott was coming, and Scott could die. Both of them probably would, and there was no way to stop it.

Renny laughed and rolled back and forth on his bars. "Oh this is going to be a fun night."

"I think it's time everyone got a little closer, don't you?"

Stiles looked up to see the man standing in front of his cage again. He smiled and flipped up a switch on the wall. A loud ding and then scraping caused Stiles to look at the wall. The bars separating him from the loose cannon of a werewolf were disappearing. Stiles gathered as much strength as he could to back away.

Renny jumped up and down as the bars began to slide away. His cage was the only one opening up. He laughed and slid through the gap into Stile's cell.

"Finally." He ran up to Stiles, who was still attempting to back away. "Time to play."

"No, no, no, wait!" Stiles crawled back until he hit the bars at the other end.

Renny was right on him with claws out when Crane yelled.

"We need him alive, Renny!"

Renny stopped and glanced behind him. "I know that. I just wanna have a turn." He scraped a claw down Stiles' cheek.

Stiles squeezed his eyes shut. "Come on, dude. I really can't take anymore torture right now, how about later, yeah?"

Renny laughed and brushed his claws against the back of Stiles' neck. "You know you seem to have an interesting mind. One I might like to explore, though strictly speaking I've never looked into someone's mind before, but what's the worst that could happen?"

Stiles tensed.

"Don't touch him!"

"Scott!" Stiles could not believe his eyes. Scott had come and was standing in his cage.

Renny growled.

Wait. Scott was inside the cage.

"Scott it's a trap!"

Scott turned around to see a man closing the cell door. He then flipped on two switches. The bars separating the cages were sliding into the wall.

"Mark right? Don't do this."

"If you know me, then you know why I'm doing this."

Renny smiled and dived towards Scott, who now bore his red eyes and claws. Scott growled as Renny attacked him. The man was wild and did not hold back as he clawed the teen. Scott threw him down, but Mina dived at him. The three wolves were fighting.

Stiles watched as Renny and Mina attacked Scott. He almost did not notice the other alpha coming straight for him. Stiles tried to back away, but he was already pressing into the bars of his cell. Renny and Mina were a distraction, now Crane was going to hurt him. Crane grabbed Stiles' arm and hauled him up. He wasted no time in sinking his teeth into Stiles' shoulder.

The scream in the cage made everyone freeze.

"No." Scott pushed the two werewolves away and ran to Stiles who was now on the ground.

Stiles held his shoulder, slumped against the wall. "Oh God." He could not breathe.

Scott surveyed the bite and shook his head. "You're gonna be okay. Remember what Deaton said, you can't change if you get bit."

"That's assumption Scott. We don't know what's gonna happen."

"Let me help." Scott went to touch Stiles, but Stiles slapped his hand away.

"No! I don't want you to see what I've seen, Scott. Don't help me." Stiles could not forget when Scott saw his dream about Allison, he did not want his best friend to see her like that again. He did not want him to feel the pain he had been through.

"Stiles…"

"No." Stiles stared at Scott with shaky eyes.

"You aren't supposed to turn him, you're supposed to kill them both! You're supposed to rip them apart!"

Everyone turned to see the man standing in front of the cage. He had been watching everything in hopes it would play out like he planned.

Crane shrugged. "Oh I have no intentions of killing either of them."

"But he's a True Alpha, you could be more powerful." The man wanted revenge, and he needed Crane's back to help him get it.

"I'll get the power I want, but not from Scott McCall. You can't steal that kind of power from a True Alpha."

The man huffed and took a step closer to the bars. That was his mistake. Mina reached out and grabbed him, slamming him into the bars. She grabbed the keys from his pocket and threw them to Renny. He ran to the door and unlocked it. Renny ran out of the door and grabbed Mark throwing him into the cage. Mina clawed him on the way in, ripping a big wound in his side. She then went out the cell and grabbed the electric prod he had used on her during the full moon. Scott never saw it coming with everything going on.

Scott screamed out as he was shocked and he fell to the ground. He could do nothing as the wolves scooped Stiles up and took him out of the cage. Crane shut the door causing it to lock. Renny still had the keys with him.

"Wait, Stiles!"

Scott was locked in the cell with man that started it all, and his best friend was gone.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	12. Sacrifice

**Thank you Shadow-wolf78 and rachbob for reviewing!**

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"I should kill you." Scott glared at Mark, who was holding his side where Mina clawed him. Scott had called Lydia as soon as he gained his bearings again, and now he had to wait for them to get there, so they could let him out of the cell.

"You won't kill me. You're a True Alpha; it's against your morals."

"Things change." Scott glared.

"You think I fear death?"

Scott shook his head. "No, but I think you might deserve it."

"Don't pretend like I didn't have a good reason for everything I've done. He killed my wife, he deserved everything he got."

"None of it was his fault!" Scott growled.

Mark's eyes flared. "Of course it was his fault, it was your fault too! You had your chance to end him, but you tried to save him, like you always do. Well guess what Scott, you're stuck in here, while those wolves have him. What can you do in here?"

"I'll find him, I'll save him. That's what we do." Scott tried to stay calm and keep his claws in. He wanted to rip this man apart.

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Above all the pain Stiles felt, his shoulder was the worst. He had never been bit by a werewolf before, which he found quite surprising. He knew it would hurt, but this, this felt terrible. There was a stinging and soreness that caused his shoulder to feel like it was on fire. He felt like his body was rejecting the bite. Maybe Deaton was right, he would not turn, but that did not mean he would survive either. Renny had Stiles thrown over his shoulder, the boy was too out of it to know where they were going, all he knew was it could not be good.

Stiles could feel the outside air on his face. He honestly was not sure he would ever be outside again. He could see the setting sun. Even if he was going to die soon, at least it would not be in the cage. The wolves seemed to know where they were going. Stiles needed to think, he could figure this out. Crane wanted him alive. He wanted him alive because he wanted control of the Oni. Stiles was no longer in control of them, in fact he never was. Maybe they did not know that, or maybe they knew something he did not.

Stiles' mind thought back to what Kira's mom said when the Oni tested him. "More human than Nogitsune." Those words never left his head. Everything that had been happening since then; the dreams, the hallucinations. It all made sense if Crane was right. There was still a part of the Nogitsune in him. Maybe the wolves wanted to bring out that darkness again. Stiles had felt that in the cage when he figured out who the man's wife was. It was as if he were possessed again, but this time he had the control.

If Crane wanted to gain control of him, then there was one place he would try to do it. It would be the one place he kept trying to go back to. They were going to the Nemeton.

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"You're always trying to be a hero aren't you, Scott?" Mark was now covered in blood, from the scratch.

"I just believe in saving my friends."

"Even when they don't deserve to be saved?"

Scott's eyes flared. "Do even know how the Nogitsune got in Stiles?"

"Something to do with the Nemeton. My research was not to clear on the how, not that it really matters."

"It matters. We had to sacrifice ourselves to save our parents. When we did that we opened doors in our minds. Before Stiles could shut his, something slipped in. It wasn't his fault, he didn't ask for it. He just survived. Like we all try to."

Mark smirked. "But not all of you did."

"No, we didn't. We've all lost people to this town. None of us wanted anything that happened, but that's life. We have to deal with the bad, and not by torturing and obsessing over people." Scott stared the man down.

"Look Scottie, this whole thing didn't exactly go to plan for me, so whatever happens to your stupid friend now is out of my hands. I hope he dies a painful death, and I hope you follow. I don't care how he became possessed, I don't care why you all tried to save him. It was his fault, and because of that, it's his fault she's dead."

"If you survive that scratch, I'll make sure you never see daylight again."

Mark laughed a little. "Big threat coming from a boy. So what, the big bad Sheriff will arrest me, and the crazy stalker will blab about how he covered a massacre caused by his son? I'm still winning here Scott."

Scott gave him a small smile. "I never said you'd go to prison. Have you ever seen the secret wing of Eichen House? I'm sure they'd love to have you there, and I know just the person that could get you in."

Mark dropped his confident composure. He did not like Scott one bit.

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"Set him down." Crane was giving orders to Renny.

Renny threw Stiles off of his shoulder and leaned him against something. Stiles blinked to gain his focus back. He looked behind him and saw the sawed off trunk of the Nemeton. He tried getting up and away from the tree.

Mina pushed him back down. "No, no little one. Be a good boy now."

Crane knelt down in front of Stiles. He grabbed his face and tilted it side to side.

"He don't look good, boss. I don't think the bite is taking." Renny watched the boy try to catch his breath.

Crane ignored him. "You gave your blood to this before. Why?"

Stiles shook his head. "I don't know. I didn't even know I was doing it."

"It'll bring it out again won't it? That small part of you that's left. I saw it in the cage, when you challenged the human. Something changed in you, and you were strong."

"You don't want that to come out again, trust me."

"Three werewolves against a Nogitsune? I think we'd keep you off."

Stiles smirked a little. "You must not know much about them then. It would destroy you without any effort. It won't help you."

"If that bite takes, you won't have a choice. You'll have to listen to your alpha." Mina stood over Stiles.

He laughed a little. "I already have an alpha, and it isn't you." He glared at Crane.

"Lay him on the stump." Crane's eyes glowed red.

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Scott hated waiting like this. The two had been silent for a while, but could not take the silence anymore. "I know what it's like."

Mark snapped out of his daze and looked at Scott. "How what's like?"

"Having someone you love die in your arms because of that thing."

Mark's demeanor changed. "Don't try to relate, Scott."

Scott went on. "Sometimes I get really mad about what happened, and I try to think what she would say about that. If she thought I was wasting my time obsessing over what happened to her, not able to move on, she'd kick my ass." Scott smiled a little. "But I know, somehow more than anything, she would find a way to blame herself. She would be really sad and disappointed at the man I became."

Mark looked at the ground and said nothing.

Scott heard someone enter the building. Lydia, Kira, and Malia were there. Scott jumped up and waited for them to come down the stairs.

"Hey, you need to find a key to open the door. I have to get to Stiles before it's too late."

Malia looked at Scott. "Where'd they take him?"

Scott shrugged. "I don't know, but I can track him if we find a way out."

"Box at the top of the stairs."

Everyone looked at Mark, who seemed tired.

"What?" Scott shook his head a little.

"The key, it's in a box at the top of the stairs on the table." He would not look Scott in the eye.

Kira waited for Scott to signal it was safe to go look, before bolting up the stairs. She ran back down with the key in her hand. She unlocked the door, and swung it open. Scott gave Mark another look before exiting the cell, closing the door behind him.

Scott looked at the girls. "Stay here and keep an eye on him. Call Stiles' dad and have him come here." Scott looked at Malia. "Don't go in the cage."

Malia looked irritated, but nodded. "Fine. I won't."

Scott knew Malia wanted nothing more than to jump in that cage and rip the guy to shreds, but he hoped she would listen to him.

"I'll find him, I promise." Scott put a hand on Malia's shoulder.

Kira stopped him before he headed up the stairs. "Be careful."

Scott nodded and kissed her on the cheek. "I will."

He ran up the stairs and out the door. He was faster than the others, so he had to do this alone. Scott had to find Stiles before those wolves hurt him.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	13. Lost

**Thank you Shadow-wolf78 and rachbob for reviewing!**

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This was it. Stiles looked up at the trees; he could feel the blood from the bite running off his shoulder and onto the Nemeton stump. It was as if the tree was pulling at him, calling him. His mind was racing with no ability to focus. He could not die like this, there was no telling what would happen. The wolves wanted to bring the Nogitsune out, bring the Oni back, but Stiles was not even sure that was possible. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"You can't let this happen, Stiles."

Oh no. Stiles opened his eyes to see his Void self, standing over him. "I thought this is what you wanted."

He smirked. "Not me, it's what the Nemeton wants; you can feel that. I'm not everything you think I am Stiles."

"Then what are you?"

"You could call me a friend. I'm just an imprint left over. If you die, I die. I'm that darkness, Stiles. I'm that shadow that was once whole. I'm just a piece of it inside of you, and you're stuck with that, but that's not all that's left. Let me help us."

"It's a trick."

Void Stiles shook his head. "No tricks. The Nogitsune is gone, locked away in a box made from mountain ash. I can't possess you Stiles. I can't gain control. I'm just here. If you bleed out on this stump, then far worse things will happen."

"Fine."

Crane watched Stiles mumble to himself. He figured the boy had finally lost it completely. He had not been doing well for a while. The blood from the bite was clotting, but the boy was shaking so bad, it seemed like his body was rejecting the bite. There were no signs of that anywhere else, however. The people he had seen reject bites before bled out of their noses, mouths, eyes. This was not the case. Something was different.

"Mina, we need more blood. This is taking too long." Crane wanted results.

"Gladly." Mina bore her claws and went up to Stiles.

She did not notice that the boy went quiet and still. Before she could dig her claws into him, Stiles grabbed her wrist, stopping her. He raised up and twisted her arm, causing her to cry out. She went to claw him with the other hand, but he caught that as well and kicked her in the stomach, hard enough to put her on the ground.

Renny ran towards Stiles.

"Don't kill him yet!" Crane was not sure what was happening.

Renny gave Crane a look before diving towards Stiles. It would have been easier to just kill him. Stiles jumped up from the tree stump and caught Renny as he tackled him. They both struggled together. Renny clawed Stiles in the arm, he backed away and let Renny come to him again. He dodged out of the way and grabbed the wolf by the neck. He pushed him down onto the Nemeton and squeezed his throat.

Mina sprang into action. He threw Stiles off of Renny and onto the ground. He growled and lunged towards him. She flipped him over and twisted his arm behind his back. They had him again.

"Well that was an interesting display." Crane came over and knelt down next to Stiles. He was struggling to get free. "Quite impressive actually, which makes me wonder, who are you?"

Stiles glared. "Still me. I guess I just discovered a few hidden talents."

Crane smiled. "Well if you still have that kind of strength in you, then you should be able to summon the Oni."

Stiles shook his head. "I can't, even if I knew how, I wouldn't."

"I think if I drain you dry on that stump, something will happen. I think those little fireflies might just pop out."

"Killing me won't do any good."

Crane shook his head. "I don't believe that Stiles. This thing has been trying to get your blood for some time now. It had power, and it's hungry." He nodded at Mina and Renny who hauled Stiles up and dragged him back to the tree.

"Drop him."

"Well, well, well, Mr. McCall found a way out of the cage." Crane smiled as he stood between Scott and Stiles.

"Whatever you're trying to do, stop, it's not going to end how you want."

Crane clapped his hands together. "You know you aren't the first person to tell me that, but I just can't help myself."

Mina and Renny shoved Stiles back down on the tree, and Scott lost it. His eyes glowed red and he howled as he dived towards the two wolves. Crane transformed and spun Scott around and against a tree. Crane's face was monstrous compared to Scott's. He had more fangs, and more disfiguration. Scott knew the shift reflected who you were, and Scott did not like the man Crane was. The two fought, Scott needed to get to Stiles before it was too late. Crane was strong, but Scott had more motivation than him to win this fight.

Stiles had no more energy left. Mina and Renny were holding him down, but he was not sure he would be able to stand even if they let go. Renny snarled at him and began to dig his claws into Stiles' side. He let out a soft yell of pain. He looked over to Scott and Crane. They were still fighting, Crane was doing a good job at keeping Scott distracted and away. Scott would not get to him in time.

Scott struggled. Every time he pushed Crane away, the alpha came back with more force. He clawed at him, but that did not seem to stop the elder from attacking. Scott had finally pushed Crane up against a tree, but he had a tight grip on Scott. He tried to knock Crane out, push him down, anything, but Crane's claws were sunk into Scott's arms. Scott was trying to think of how to put Crane down when he saw something reflect under the moonlight, and the man yelled out and loosened his grip. Scott looked up.

"Kira!"

She smiled holding her katana. "Thought you could use some help." She held her weapon against Crane's throat and turned to Scott. "Go!"

Scott nodded and ran to the other two werewolves. He grabbed Renny first and threw him as far as he could into a tree, knocking him out. Mina was next. She growled at Scott, but did not charge at him. She looked at Stiles, and then back at Scott.

"This plan would have never worked." She was talking to Crane. "He's been through enough."

Scott watched her as she ran over to Renny. Mina was letting Scott help Stiles, he was thankful for that. Before Scott could get to Stiles, the boy rolled himself off the stump and scooted away from it as best he could. Scott could not believe how hurt his best friend looked. He was bruised and bloody all over. He had dark almost black blood around his mouth, and he was bleeding in so many places, Scott could not even tell where. His heart was racing and his breathing was unsteady. Scott knelt down next to him, but as soon as Stiles saw him he panicked.

"No! No, no, no. Don't touch me, don't help me. Don't take away the pain." Stiles was shaking his head.

Scott was caught off guard. "Stiles, please, you have to let me help you. The bite, the claw marks…it doesn't look good."

Stiles was holding the wound Crane gave him. "I won't change, I don't think it will kill me, but you can't take it, Scott. It's too much, it's all been too much, you can't."

Scott did not know what to do. He got up and walked over to Crane. "What happened to him?"

Crane laughed a little. "A lot. I don't think his mind can take much more. He's not exactly in a sane state."

Scott grabbed Crane by the throat and hauled him up against the tree. "What did you want with him?"

Crane smiled. "To bring it out. To get the Oni on my side, but I'm a man that knows when he's been beaten. We'll leave, he's a lot more stubborn than I anticipated. I thought I could turn him, force him to do what I wanted, but, well you see how that's going."

Scott was hesitant. "If you come near him again, you'll regret it."

"I don't doubt that."

Scott let Crane go, and he gathered up his pack. Scott turned to Kira.

"How'd you find us?"

She shrugged. "Lydia figured out where they were taking him."

Scott nodded. "Thanks." He looked back at Stiles. "I don't know what to do."

"Come on." Kira walked over to Stiles, who was shaking on the ground.

She knelt down next to him.

Stiles was curled up, trying to steady out his breathing.

Kira put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to flinch back a little. "Stiles, you need to let us help you."

Stiles shook his head. "No, don't take the pain."

"Okay, okay, Scott won't take it, but that doesn't mean you don't need help. You aren't looking good, and that bite is bad." Her voice was soft.

Stiles finally looked up at them, and nodded.

"Okay, good." Kira took an arm, and Scott took the other.

The two hauled Stiles up and led him out of the woods to Kira's car. After they were all in Kira turned to Scott.

"Hospital, or Deaton's?"

Scott looked at Stiles in the back seat. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was still unsteady. "Deaton's first, if we can just convince him to let me help him, he'll be okay."

Kira nodded and drove.

Scott called Lydia to update them.

"Hey, we have Stiles and are heading to the clinic. How's everything on your end?"

" _The Sheriff got here, and well you can imagine I'm sure. Mark's on his way to the hospital under close guard, Malia and I will let Stiles' dad know and meet you there."_

Scott could hear Malia asking Lydia something, and her trying to shush her.

" _Scott, is he…how is he?"_

Scott was quiet for a minute. "Not good, but he will be okay."

" _We'll meet you there."_

"Okay, see you soon."

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	14. Help

**Thank you Shadow-wolf78 for reviewing!**

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"Stiles, please."

They were at the animal clinic. Deaton was doing his best to patch Stiles up, but they all knew he needed Scott to start healing him. He had lost a lot of blood, and was not together. He also had a few broken bones, which needed set. Scott had been begging to let him help, but anytime he got close, Stiles freaked out.

"No. I don't want you to help."

Scott sighed. He, Deaton, and Kira had all taken turns trying to convince him. Scott hoped the others would have some luck.

"Where is he?" Stiles was staring at the ground, his voice just above a whisper.

Scott took a step closer, and stopped. "Your Dad took him to the hospital, and then he'll go to jail, or somewhere."

"And the others?"

Scott looked over at Kira and then back at Stiles. "They ran off remember?"

Stiles shook his head and laughed a little. "No, not exactly in a good state of mind right now."

"That's why you should let me help you, even just a little. It'll clear your head. Please."

Stiles just shook his head, he was holding his side where Renny dug his claws in.

Before Scott could press on, the Sheriff ran in the room and hugged Stiles. The boy was caught off guard for a second before realizing he was in his father's arms. He began to cry, but when the Sheriff squeezed harder, Stiles winced. Stilinski pulled back and got a good look at his son.

"My God, Stiles. You need a hospital."

"He won't let me heal him."

The Sheriff looked at Stiles. "Why? He can help you."

Stiles shook his head again. "It's too much. I can't let him…he can't see…"

John was confused. "See what?"

"Allison." Lydia was staring at the man.

Stiles looked away.

Scott took another step towards him. "Stiles, it's okay. I know you want to protect me, I know you don't want me to have to relive that, but it's not fair that you have to. Whatever you've been through, whatever is in your head, I can take it. I swear. Believe me, seeing you like this is worse than any pain I could feel."

Stiles looked up at him.

"Stiles, let Scott help." Malia grabbed his hand. "Please, I can't stand this."

For once Stiles wanted the voices in his head to tell him what to do. He wanted the pain gone, he wanted to think clearly, but at the same time he did not want Scott to have to go through, even a fraction, of what he went through. Even more than that, was the guilt. Stiles did not deserve to be helped. He deserved the pain. He deserved the punishment for what he did.

"It's my fault."

No one wanted to hear him say it.

"No, Stiles, we've been through this before. You had to, you could not stop it, none of us could stop it."

Stiles looked up at him. "You should have killed me."

Those were Mark's words. Scott knew it. That man messed him up, more than any of them could have imagined. Scott was sick of this, he was going to help his best friend whether he liked it or not. Scott stomped up to Stiles.

"I'm the alpha here, I'm your alpha. You're pack, and if I say I want to help you, then you're going to let me help you." His eyes glowed red as he spoke.

Stiles's eyes met his, and before he could protest, Scott grabbed Stiles' hands. The boy began to pull back, but the others jumped in and held him still. He fought a little, but Stiles had almost no energy. Scott held onto Stiles' hand and let the black veins crawl up his arm. As the pain crept in, Scott yelled in pain. He could not believe how much his best friend had. Just like before, Scott saw flashes of Stiles' mind. He saw Allison, he saw Aiden, but he also saw himself. He saw all of them, lying on the floor covered in blood. All of them dead. Scott gasped and let go.

He was out of breath and needed to sit down. He looked up at Stiles who had stopped struggling. He looked more relaxed than before, and his breathing was evening out.

"I'm sorry."

John pulled his son into another hug, this time more gentle. It did not take long for Stiles to fall asleep. Deaton took that cue to set up everything they needed. He hooked up an IV to Stiles to replenish his hydration, and set his wrist and ribs. The boy flinched a little, but did not wake from the jostling.

Scott sat in a chair trying to catch his breath. Kira put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

Scott nodded. "Yeah, it's just a lot."

"Remember Scott, taking pain especially in this case, can hurt you too. I know you want to help him, but it must be a slow process." Deaton warned the teen.

"I know, I know. I just need to help him, but I won't take more than I can handle."

Malia was petting Stiles' head. "What about the bite?"

Deaton came over to look at it again. "It stopped bleeding, and the veins around it haven't extended. I think he will be okay, but it's still a bite from an alpha. I think his body is confused by it, it wants to reject it, but also wants to turn him. I believe that is why it caused so much pain, but now that the healing process has begun, he should, in theory, be okay."

"What about Mark?" Lydia turned to the Sheriff.

The man sighed. "For now, he's heavily sedated at the hospital getting treatment for the claw marks he sustained. After that, jail for a very long time."

"He said he would tell everyone you covered up the hospital massacre; that Stiles did it, and you tampered with evidence." Scott was looking at the ground.

John shook his head. "He kidnapped and tortured my son, I don't care what he tries to do, he's going away for a long time."

"I told him we send him to Eichen House."

"That could be arranged." Deaton looked at the Sheriff.

"Look I don't care where this guy goes, as long as he can't try something like this again." John put a hand on his son's arm. "I can't go through this again."

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When Stiles woke up, he thought he had dreamed the night before. He was sure he was back in that cage, with the man watching him; plotting his next round of pain. He began to panic, but a hand on his chest stopped him. Malia was staring down at him.

He grabbed her hand and let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, God, this is real. I'm really here. You're really here."

She nodded holding back tears. "I am. You are. How are you?"

Stiles thought about that for a moment. "Better than yesterday." The whispers had died down, and his body did not ache as much. He was still in pain, but his head was clearing a little.

"Is it really over?"

Malia nodded and squeezed his hand tighter. "Yeah, those wolves are gone, and Mark is under watch at the hospital. We have you back, and you're safe."

Stiles nodded.

"Hey."

Stiles looked up to see Scott in the doorway.

"Hey."

"It's good to hear you talk."

"Without the pinch of insanity? Yeah, my head is in a better place, still not all together, but it's getting there. Thank you."

Scott gave him a half smile. "Will you start letting my help you now?"

Stiles fiddled with his fingers. "I still don't want you to have to take the pain away, Scott. I know I'm not in tip top shape, but taking what you did last night helped more than you can imagine. Let's just take it slow okay?"

Scott nodded. That was progress at least.

"We all thought we'd lose you."

Stiles smiled a little. "I thought so too. I'm still actually not convinced I'm really alive right now."

Malia walked over to the sink and got him some water. "Here, you need to drink this."

Stiles stared at the glass and thought back to when the man forced water down his throat, causing him to get sick. His stomach churned just thinking about it.

"I'm fine."

"Stiles, you aren't fine. The IV is helping, but you need to take care of yourself. You need to eat, you need to keep hydrated." Scott could hear Stiles' heart speed up on the last word.

Stiles shook his head. "I know, I know. I just can't right now, please."

Malia sighed and set the glass of water down. Deaton soon came in to check on him, and said he could go home when he was ready.

Later that day Scott and the Sheriff helped Stiles up the stairs and to his room. Getting taken seemed like so long ago. He stared at his window, but Scott put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay. I'm not going anywhere. No one is going to hurt you."

Stiles nodded and sat down on the bed. He had not felt the comfort of a bed in a long time. He laid back, but did not fall asleep. John insisted he eat, so he went downstairs to make him something.

"I don't like you this quiet." Scott sat on Stiles' desk chair.

"Just have a lot on my mind."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Stiles huffed a little. "Which thing? Getting kidnapped and tortured by that psycho? Getting kidnapped and tortured by wolves? Or the confusing things running through my head right now?"

"Any of them, all of them. You shouldn't keep it all to yourself. I felt glimpses, Stiles, but I can't even begin to imagine what you went through."

"I learned some things about myself, things I think I'm more terrified of than before." Stiles fiddled with his fingers, not making eye contact.

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since all this, I never gave myself time to stop and think about what happened, what really happened. You saw my coping method."

Scott hated that Stiles was hurting himself over anything that had happened.

"I know the Nogitsune is a trickster, so it's hard to figure out what was real, and what wasn't, but there are some things I know and can't understand. He split my body into two, I can't even start to get that, but it makes me wonder how much is really left."

"Stiles it's gone."

"Is it? All of it? Yeah the firefly or whatever is in a box somewhere, but I think it left some type of imprint. Part of it is still in me, and I don't understand any of it. During apogee something was calling me to the Nemeton, it was calling me there, but when the wolves had me down on it, I saw the void me. I keep seeing the void me, and he's been helping. I could feel the Nemeton pulling me, but he was there telling me to get away from it."

Scott was trying to follow. "It could just be your subconscious. You aren't…weren't in the best state of mind, who knows what was happening."

"I know I got strong."

"What?"

Stiles looked up. "It was like before. Scott I fought those wolves, I did well even. And that wasn't the only time. I almost got away from him once, I let it take over and I almost got away."

Scott came over and sat down. "Look, I can't pretend like I understand any of it either, but Stiles it's gone. Okay maybe something is left over, but that doesn't make you a bad person. It does not mean you have to do the things it did. You're alive, and that's all that matters."

"Maybe I shouldn't be."

"Don't say that." Scott warned.

"It's all my fault, Scott. Everything. I have so much blood on my hands, and I can never wash it all off."

"Stiles, look at me." Scott got in his eyesight. "None of this, any of this or before, is your fault. Do you understand me?"

Stiles said nothing. He could not lie to his best friend.

Before Scott could say anything, the Sheriff came back with a bowl of soup.

"I'm not hungry, Dad."

The Sheriff sat the bowl down on his bedside table. "I don't care, you need to eat."

"Stiles when was the last time you ate?" Scott always had a hard time getting Stiles to eat when he was upset.

He shrugged.

"Did he feed you at all?"

"Once. Mostly just let me have water. Just enough to keep me going." Stiles' eyes were lost.

"Even more reason then." Scott wished he could get to him.

"Stiles, you are going to eat whether you like it or not, you understand me?" His father gave a look that sent chills down both boys' spines.

Stiles licked his lips and grabbed the bowl. He was hesitant at first, but after a few bites he could not stop shoveling the soup into his mouth. He had no idea he was hungry at all. After he was finished, he grabbed the glass of water his father brought up and drank it slow, taking deep breathes between.

"Better?" Scott smiled.

Stiles nodded. "Much." He looked at his dad. "Umm, my meds?"

"Oh, right." John left the room and came back with three pill bottles.

Stiles took them and poured out the correct amounts. "Wasn't fun going off these all at once. At least when I was possessed it was just the Adderall."

Scott and the Sheriff looked at each other.

"That was supposed to be a joke." He sighed. "I'll work on that."

Scott smiled again. "The full moon is in about a week and half. You should feel a lot better by then. Might clear your head."

"Yeah, I definitely need my head cleared."

"Are you still seeing or hearing anything?" Scott already knew the answer.

"Not as bad as before, but yeah, there's still some things going on I don't care to acknowledge." Stiles looked at the corner of the room where he saw the man's wife lying on the ground. He still had a long way until he recovered from what happened.

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 **AN: Thanks for reading!**


	15. Face to Face

**Thank you Shadow-wolf78 and rachbob for reviewing!**

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Stiles stayed in bed for a few days. Everyone came in and out to see him, but he still protested against Scott healing him. His bruises were yellow, his cuts were scabbed over, and his bones were feeling whole again. His mind needed healing the most, but he was not sure even Scott could help with that at the moment. Stiles was terrified at the thought of Scott seeing the things he had to endure. He did not want him to have to see Allison, and all the people he was responsible for killing.

Scott was able to convince Stiles to let him take a little pain away each time he saw him. It was enough to help. Soon enough Stiles was walking around fine, and had an appetite. Everyone was happy about this, until Stiles decided he wanted to see Mark.

"No, Stiles, no you are not going anywhere near that guy."

"Dad, please, I just…I need to." Stiles gave his father desperate eyes.

"Stiles, this man tortured you, and now you want to visit him?" The Sheriff was baffled.

"I know, I know, but I need to see him. He had all the power, and now he's in a position with none. I just need to make sense of what's going through my head." Stiles knew his dad would crack.

"Five minutes."

Stiles sighed. "Dad, thank you."

"Don't make me regret it, okay."

Stiles shook his head, and threw his hands out a little. Tomorrow he would see the man that caused so much pain, but before then he would have to get through the night. No one had left him alone since he got home. They were taking shifts; Stiles knew they were scared of what he might do on his own. If he were honest, he was not sure how he would be if he had a lot of time to himself to think. Part of him was thankful for Malia at night. The terrors that ran through his brain when he tried to sleep was enough to send him into a panic. Even with Scott healing him, his head was still having trouble. Stiles was exhausted, but every time he closed his eyes, he was back there. The only comfort he found was when Malia held him. He knew then that he was safe. He held onto her, and did not let go until morning.

All day, Stiles' dad tried convincing him not to go see Mark. Stiles stayed firm on his decision. He needed to do this. On the way to the hospital Stiles was nervous. He could not stop fidgeting. He thought about abandoning this idea several times, but he would not say it out loud. He needed to go, he had to go. Scott went with them, he too thought it was a bad idea, but he knew Stiles had to talk to him. Stiles' dad did not want him alone with Mark, but he convinced him to enter the room on his own. The Sheriff and Scott waited outside, just in case.

Stiles tried to act brave walking in the room, but as soon as he laid eyes upon the man that almost killed him, fear coursed through his veins. Even in his vulnerable state of various tubes and weariness, the man intimidated Stiles.

Mark huffed. "I'm shocked you would show your face here. Don't' you worry someone will recognize you?"

Stiles looked down, he was terrified of that every time he entered the hospital.

"You look all shiny and new. Are you one of them now, or is this just what Scott does?"

Stiles raised his eyes. "The bite didn't take, it can't because of Scott."

"Figures you'd get out of this unscathed, again."

That made Stiles angry. "Unscathed? You think just because physically I feel okay, I'm unscathed? You tortured me! Before you, it tortured me for weeks. Playing mind games, and tricks. Then you come along and decide it's all my fault for everything and you get revenge, and no I'm not dead, but I'm sure as hell not unscathed by this."

Mark just stared. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know." Stiles shook his head. "I thought it would help, seeing you powerless, but it's not. I guess…I came here to tell you I'm sorry."

Mark seemed surprised at this. "You're apologizing to me?"

"I let someone you love die. I let a lot of people die, all because I was scared. It's my fault, I know that, I always knew that, but I didn't want to believe it. So all I can do is apologize to you."

Mark shook his head. "I hate you, I spent a lot of time blaming you, but underneath my anger, you're still just a kid. I'm not sorry for what I did, but if I had a choice to try and hurt you again, I wouldn't take it. I just want to forget, and remember the good about my wife. I don't want keep thinking about what she would say about all this."

Stiles nodded and left the room. The first thing he noticed was the look on his best friend's face. Scott heard him. Of course Scott had heard him. Before he could say anything, Stiles turned to his dad.

"I don't want to press charges against him."

Anger flashed across Stilinski's eyes. "Are you kidding me? Stiles I shouldn't have to remind you that this man kidnapped and tortured you for almost a week!"

"I know, I just, look he said he would tell everyone about the cover up right? He's not gonna come after me again, I think it would just be best to let this all be a misunderstanding."

Scott put a hand on Stiles' shoulder. "Stiles, you don't owe him anything. In fact he owes you."

Stiles looked at his best friend. "I know. That's why he'll leave. Look if he's in jail, or Eichen House, or whatever, then he's still here. Let him go, and I won't ever have to see him again."

The Sheriff sighed. "We'll talk about this later okay. Scott, take him home please. I need to have a little talk of my own."

Scott nodded and led Stiles away from the room.

"You know none of this is your fault right? Please say I don't have to tell you that."

Stiles looked away from Scott. "I can't put the blame solely on the Nogitsune, Scott. There's so much I could have done to stop it, or slow it down, something."

Scott grabbed Stiles by the shoulders and stopped him in the hallway. "No, Stiles, you can't think like that. None of it was your fault. I know Mark put you through a lot, and made you think things, but it's not true okay? Please tell me you understand that."

Stiles stared at Scott, but said nothing. "I can't."

"How's your head? Still hearing things?" Scott thought that maybe something was telling him it was his fault.

"It's better. No voices, no hallucinations, just memories."

Scott nodded. "The full moon is soon. You'll feel better, you'll realize the truth about everything, okay?"

Stiles was doubtful how he could feel any different, but he agreed regardless. Scott helped him get back home. They still would not leave him on his own yet. He still did not blame them, he would not leave him alone either.

Once they were back at his house, Scott made him eat and then lay back down. Stiles was feeling pretty good physically, but he still hurt. Going to the hospital was the first time he had left the house since he was brought back. His head was pounding, and his bones ached. Stiles welcomed sleep.

The next day Stiles went back to school. He enjoyed the distraction, but not his new anxieties. Even after being on his Adderall again, Stiles had zero focus. He also could not get the uneasy feeling of claustrophobia every time he entered a class room. The rooms seemed to shrink throughout class. Stiles was surprised he was able to make it through the whole day without having a panic attack. Malia went home with him, and when he walked in the door his father was waiting for him.

"How'd school go?"

Stiles shrugged. "I made it."

"You almost freaked out all day." Malia blankly stated.

Stiles sighed. "But I didn't. I just want this all to be behind me."

The Sheriff fidgeted just enough for Stiles to notice.

"What?"

John smirked a little at his son's ability of observation. "Mark's ready to be released from the hospital, and I can't decide if I should book him, or let him walk."

Stiles rubbed his chin. "I already told you what I wanted. If he's gone, then we don't have to worry about him anymore. He won't get mad for being arrested and start telling people you covered up the hospital. I'll be fine, in fact it would help."

"And if he decides he wants to get another try at you?"

"He won't." Stiles was confident.

The Sheriff sighed. "Fine, okay. Just don't make me regret this."

"I won't." Stiles nodded.

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Sheriff Stilinski went to the hospital still unsure of his decision regarding the man that almost killed his son. Mark was getting dressed when he walked in. He thought about changing his mind, he wanted to see this man rot in prison for the rest of his life, but Stiles was right. He could not afford a scandal on his hands for what happened at hospital. He could not risk Stiles getting caught up in everything again. He had to let this monster go for the safety of his son.

"I see you've sent the boys in tan away. Does that mean I'm free?" Mark smirked.

"Unfortunately, yeah."

"What'd you tell them?"

"I never told them why you were here, so as far as they know it was all just a misunderstanding."

Mark laughed a little. "Well you are good at covering things up aren't you?"

John took a step forward. "Look, I'm not arresting you, but that does not mean I won't hurt you if I have to. Like you said I'm good at covering things up. You leave town and you never come back. If you ever come near my son again, I will shoot you in the head. Understand?"

Mark smiled again. "Loud and clear. Don't worry Sheriff, I'm done pursuing your son. I guess the wolf made me realize Ilene wouldn't be very happy with me if she knew I wanted a teenager dead. Even if he was the one to kill her. Have a nice life Sheriff."

Mark left the hospital. Stilinski just hoped he was making the right choic.

His life had been fueled by vengeance for so long. He failed. He could not kill the person responsible for his wife's death, and the death of so many others. Some would try again, but he was tired. He wanted nothing more than to begin again and move on. That's what his wife would have wanted. Mark was heading to the bus station when he heard a voice behind him.

"So they decided to let you go."

Mark turned around to see the three wolves he had taken captive.

"Looks like it."

"And here I thought they would have enjoyed seeing you suffer." Crane growled.

"Did you think you could have just walked away after keeping us in cages for so long?" Renny was ready to pounce.

Mark had no weapons. He had no plans of attack. He was still recovering from the scratch Mina gave him, so running was not even an option.

"Just look at us as your demons catching up to you. You can't think you'd get away scot-free." Mina smiled.

Mark took a deep breath. "No I suppose not."

He hurt, but he decided to give running a try. He took off, but the wolves were faster. They wasted no time in jumping on him, taking turns clawing. Mark screamed as the wolves ripped him apart. Before Crane gave the final swipe he gave the man a big smile.

"Ready to see your wife again?"

Mark shut his eyes and waited for the strike that would end it all.

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 **AN: I could not just let him get away with all that! Hope the end of this chapter satisfied. Thanks for reading! Only one more chapter left!**


	16. Okay

**Thank you Shadow-wolf78 and rachbob for reviewing! You two are awesome!**

 **AN: Last chapter!**

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Mark was out of his life, but that did not mean Stiles had recovered from his kidnapping. Scott made sure that during the full moon he made Stiles understand that nothing the Nogitsune did was his fault. He made him understand that it was not in him anymore, and that whatever he saw around apogee was just in his subconscious. Stiles knew better than that. Scott was not there to see what he saw. He knew that most of it was not his fault, he could not stop the demon after it crept into his mind. Some of it, however, some of it was. He could have done more to stop the things it did. Scott did not understand what he went through, what the Nogitsune did to survive. It left part of itself in him. Stiles knew that it was not in his head. He would not have gotten its strength when it mattered most. After the full moon, Stiles felt a lot better about everything that had happened, but he was still suffering.

"You okay?" Scott noticed Stiles was being distant. They had been sitting on the steps outside of school.

Stiles nodded. "Yeah, just still trying to get used to everything. I mean I feel great right now, so it's just weird knowing that in a couple weeks I won't."

"Yeah, no I know, but it's better than feeling like crap all the time right?"

"Of course, I'm not saying I'm not grateful for this whole connection thing, it's been a lifesaver in more ways than one, but I don't know. I guess I'm just worried about it. Last time I was in a cage, but I still managed to get out and try to get to the Nemeton. Something about it just calls to me and I feel like I have to go there."

Scott put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't let you do anything to hurt yourself."

Stiles nodded. "We can't let me go there. I think if I ever managed to actually sacrifice myself to it, like it wants, then it would unleash something far worse than anything we've been through."

"But you said part of yourself is trying to protect you right? So when things get bad, find that part and let it help." Scott still thought Void Stiles was all in Stiles' head, but if the thought of him could help, then he figured it could not hurt.

Stiles did well in the nights leading up to apogee. Like last time, his anxiety heightened as he got closer, but he felt good. He knew that feeling would not last long. This time they needed to be prepared. No one would let him be on his own still, but Stiles did not mind. Last time he was alone before apogee, he got kidnapped and tortured, so he was not complaining about the extra company. Stiles was still nervous about what he would do when no one was around, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

"I think you should just chain me up, and be done with it." Stiles looked at his friends.

Scott sighed. "Stiles, I don't wanna do that unless we have to. This won't ever get easier for you, unless we can get through to you on these nights."

"Scott the last two times, I've managed to weasel my way out of wherever I was, I'll do it again."

"But we weren't all here before." Kira looked hopeful.

"I know, I just don't know what I'm capable of."

Malia put a hand on his arm. "It's going to be fine."

Stiles nodded.

On apogee night everyone went to Scott's house. Stiles had felt uneasy all day, his anxiety was at an extreme, and he felt like he was going to lose it any minute. He hated to think about what was going to happen that night. They all sat in the living room in awkward silence. Normally Stiles would have made a joke about everyone staring at him with nervous expressions on their faces, but he was too caught up in his own thoughts.

Stiles was trying to stay calm as the sun set, and the night sky was upon them. Everyone was keeping a close eye on him, but had tried to lighten the situation by watching T.V and talking. Stiles could not focus on either thing. He sat at the end of the couch with Malia who was holding his hand. A cold, odd feeling crept up Stiles' spine, and he gripped her hand tighter. He tried to even out his breathing, but the night was beginning.

"Stiles?" Malia did not let go of his hand.

Stiles no longer noticed his friends. All he could see was the darkness creeping out of the corners and surrounding him. The whole room melted away and he was back there, he was in the cage he had been kept for so long. All the ones that died were there as well. Allison, Aiden, Ilene, all staring, all saying it was his fault. Mark was there too, about to swing that metal pipe at him.

"No!"

Everyone watched Stiles as he went from internal panic, to outward fear. He leapt off of the couch, breaking away from Malia, and shuffled into the corner. Everyone stood up, but remained cautious. They were not sure what he was seeing, or how he would react.

"Stiles." Scott approached him slowly, but Stiles did not hear him.

" _Stiles."_ In his mind the Nogitsune was in the room with him, bearing that silver smile. "Come to me Stiles."

Stiles shook his head.

"Don't listen to it." Void Stiles was there now too.

This was all too much for Stiles. He put his hands over his ears trying to get everyone to stop telling him what to do, but the voices only got louder. He squeezed his ears and screamed.

Scott watched Stiles struggle. Something terrible was going on in his head, and all he wanted to do was stop it. When Stiles grabbed his ears, Scott stayed back, he did not want to startle him any, but then he noticed blood trickling down the side of his neck. Stiles was clawing at the back of his ears. Scott ran up to him and grabbed Stiles' hands, still over his ears. Stiles tensed up and began to try and get away, but Scott was stronger.

" _Let them help you, Stiles."_

"Leave me alone!"

"Stiles, Stiles, its Scott. Let me help you!" Scott did not know how to get through to him.

"Stiles, listen to him. It's really Scott. Everything you're seeing isn't real, listen to us, your friends. Remember that it's not real." Lydia hoped she could get Stiles to listen.

"Not real." Stiles' voice had been only a whisper, but that was the first acknowledgement he had given them since the night began.

Scott lowered his voice. "That's right, it's all in your head."

Stiles took a deep breath and sank to the floor. Scott went with him. After that, Stiles seemed to calm down a lot. Scott held him as he internally panicked. Stiles was not focused on anyone, but was not trying to get away. He occasionally would say something, or yell out, but he stayed in one spot. Scott held onto him just in case. He did not want him running away, trying to leave, if he could help it. He also did not want him hurting himself again.

Half way through the night Stiles began to attempt to pull away from Scott, but Scott held his arms, and was able to calm him down. The others talked to Stiles too, to reach out to him. He never responded to anything anyone said, but he stopped struggling. Everyone just hoped they were not in for any surprises before the end of the night. Stiles never fell asleep, but a lot of the others did. Everything had stayed calm for the most part, and even Scott had begun to doze. The sun from the window hit his face, and Scott opened his eyes. He took a moment to gather his surroundings and remember what exactly had been going on. Stiles was staring at the opposite wall. Scott leeched away any pain Stiles was feeling and snapped him back into reality.

"Hey."

Stiles blinked a few times before looking at Scott. He seemed surprised that they were on the ground, so close together. He looked at the others who were scattered across the living room, making and almost barricade around him.

"Was it bad this time?"

Scott shook his head. "No, we actually got through to you, and you stayed pretty calm."

Stiles nodded. "Good."

Scott noticed the haunted look in his eyes. "Were you in the basement again?"

"No, back in the cage. Everyone was there, screaming. Telling me over and over again that I let it in, that it was my fault they died." Stiles shrank back a little.

"Is it your fault?"

Stiles looked at Scott. This was a test. "No, no I-I couldn't help it. I couldn't have stopped it." He was still thinking that he should have died instead, but he was trying.

Scott nodded. "Good. You hurt anywhere?"

Stiles touched the back of his ears. "Little sore."

"Yeah, you did that before we could stop you. Didn't realize what was happening till it was too late."

Stiles stayed quiet after that. He did not have the energy to stand up yet, he was exhausted. Everyone began to stir, and notice Stiles was coherent again. They eventually convinced him to eat something and go to sleep. Stiles did not think he could fall asleep with everyone around him like they were, but as soon as his head hit the couch pillow, he was out. His head was full nightmares, but nothing like what his mind took him through the night before.

When Stiles woke up again, his mind went back to the cage. For a second he thought he would be back there, but instead he was in Scott's living room. He sat up and noticed he was alone for the first time since he got out of Mark's grasp. His loneliness did not last long, though, because Scott walked into the living room. Stiles knew he could not have been far.

"I sent everyone else home, figured they didn't need to watch you sleep."

Stiles laughed. "I'm sure it's a beautiful sight."

Scott came over and sat down. "You okay?"

"Actually I think I am." Stiles sighed. "Don't get me wrong, last night was terrifying for me, like always, but I think it will get a little more manageable each time. After getting kidnapped, I kept seeing the Void me. I guess I weirdly found comfort in it. I thought it was still in me, that it could come out anytime, but I think it's just something left behind. I know you don't think any part of it is there anymore, but I can feel it."

"Stiles…" Scott tried arguing, but Stiles cut him off.

"No, look I know the Nogitsune is gone, but it made this body, and there's still something there. I think this manifestation of it is mostly in my head, but it's fueled by something real. I found that voice last night, and it helped me listen to you. So, yeah, I think I can get through these nights as long as you and the others and here to help me."

Scott smiled. "Dude, we'll always be here. We won't let it get out of hand again. I won't let anything happen to you."

Stiles smiled back. "I know."

Stiles knew he would still struggle from time to time. He knew he would still have nightmares about everything. He knew the fear of the Nogitsune coming back was very real, but he also felt safe with his friends. Stiles knew they would be there when anything went wrong. Scott would be there to help him through it. He still hated Scott taking his pain, and seeing what he went through, but he was thankful for the relief. Stiles was not sure what would have happened to him if it were not for Scott. If they never discovered their connection, he would probably be dead. He was lucky to be in a pack that looked out for him, and protected him. Stiles knew as long as he still had them, he would be okay.

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 **AN: The End! Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!**


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